According to a report by thegovmonitor.com, it has been confirmed that a horse in both the Fraser Valley and in the South Okanagan have been infected with the West Nile Virus.
“This is not a surprising development,” Dr. Paul Kitching, chief veterinarian and branch director at the Animal Health Centre, was quoted as saying. “British Columbia has long anticipated the arrival of West Nile virus, and now it’s in multiple regions of the province. What is important is preventing infection as best as possible, for both humans and animals. Of all large land mammals, horses are particularly susceptible. There are West Nile virus vaccines for horses, and horse owners should talk to their vets about getting their animals immunized.”
West Nile virus cannot be transmitted directly from an infected horse to humans. Horses that have been infected are not a direct risk to other horses in the area. However, cases in horses signal that infected mosquitoes are present in the area, which indicates a risk to other horses and people in the vicinity.
In addition to getting their animals vaccinated, horse owners should make an effort to drain standing water where mosquitoes may breed and practise mosquito control in general.
Click here to the read thegovmonitor.com article in its entirety.
(With files from thegovmonitor.com)