Robertson African Horse Sickness Update

A confirmed case of African horse sickness (AHS) has been detected on a thoroughbred stud in the Robertson region of the AHS protection zone. The case was detected by a private veterinarian and confirmed using laboratory tests. 

Currently only the one case has been detected on this farm and in the Robertson area. 

The affected property has been quarantined and an area of 10 km surrounding the affected property has been demarcated for further census and clinical investigations. 

Animal health technicians and state veterinarians will be in the Robertson area collecting census information and sampling clinically ill horses. 

There are currently no movement controls in the 10 km area depicted in the map below but we urge the public not to unnecessarily move horses from this region. The case in Robertson does however prohibit the movement of horses into the AHS surveillance and free zone from Robertson. 

The State urges all public in the area as well as private veterinarians to report any suspect cases of AHS in the Robertson area to Dr Llewellyn Hon, who is the local State Veterinarian based in Swellendam (028 514 1670). 

The clinical signs seen on the affected property, are more in line with what we would expect AHS to present like with a short clinical course of fever, later struggling for breath (dyspnoea) followed by death of the horse three days after initial signs were detected. While only one case has been seen on the farm it is still early on in the potential outbreak and spread is still very possible to other susceptible horses. 

The source of infection has yet to be established. The serotype of the virus is the same as the Porterville outbreak, but no links have been established yet between these locations. We currently consider this outbreak not to be related to the Porterville cases until more evidence is uncovered.