Since September 15, five new cases of equine West Nile virus (WNV) have been detected in Ontario, Canada, bringing the total annual case county to 12. The new cases occurred in Bruce County, Waterloo County, Renfrew County, District of Muskoka and the Regional Municipality. They were confirmed by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
The horses included two geldings and three mares with ages ranging from 4 to 20 years. Clinical signs ranged from hind end weakness and lethargy to recumbency and severe hyperesthesia. Two of the horses were euthanized and three are recovering under veterinary supervision. Four horses were unvaccinated and one had an unknown vaccination history.
The Equine Disease Communication Center (EDCC) works to protect horses and the horse industry from the threat of infectious diseases in North America. The communication system is designed to seek and report real time information about disease outbreaks similar to how the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alerts the human population about diseases in people.
