Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1) - neurological form: update from FEI 15th -16th March

15 March 2021

Following confirmation of the two positive tests in Jumping horses that had participated in Doha (QAT), one in Belgium and one in France, the FEI blocked all 19 Dressage and 17 Para Dressage horses that competed in Al Shaqab at the end of February. These horses flew back separately from the Jumping horses, but a negative PCR test will have to be provided to the FEI before these horses will be unblocked in the FEI Database.

The French National Federation confirmed to the FEI that it will extend the shutdown of all national competitions until 11 April 2021. Other National Federations are also looking at prolonging the lockdown on their national events.

16 March 2021

The FEI was notified of five new deaths– two in Belgium and three in Germany (including a neonatal foal), where it was also confirmed that five mares had aborted foals at the same stables. This brought the total number of related deaths in this outbreak to 17.

The FEI was advised that two horses had tested positive for EHV-1 at their home stables in Belgium and another horse in Switzerland after returning from the Mediterranean Equestrian Tour (MET) in Oliva (ESP). Although the two horses in Belgium were subsequently negative in re-tests, all 856 horses that participated in Oliva since the start of MET II on 9 February 2021 have been blocked in the FEI Database.

The FEI has been notified of a confirmed positive for EHV-1 in a horse that had returned from Valencia and was tested at its home stables in Slovakia.

Horses continued to leave the Valencia venue, including three from Denmark, seven from Sweden and 12 from both the Netherlands and Spain. There are still 10 horses in the Valencia veterinary clinic, none of these are in intensive care.

The Portuguese National Federation informed the FEI that it had cancelled all national events until 12 April.

Updates to the FEI link