A Union County property that had been quarantined by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture last week after a horse developed the highly infectious equine herpesvirus myeloencephalopathy (EHM) has had a second horse test positive for the respiratory form of equine herpesvirus.
The second horse had an elevated temperature and was showing respiratory signs, but no neurological signs were noted by the attending veterinarian. The second horse has been moved into the isolation barn on the property, and the entire property remains under quarantine.
Temperatures continue to be taken twice daily on all horses on the property. No horses have moved onto or off the property in approximately a month, therefore exposure to horses outside the area is considered unlikely.
The first horse was moved into the isolation barn on the property last week, and the property was placed under quarantine. The finding of another positive horse has reset the quarantine clock and will delay the release date another three days.
These are the first reported EHV-1 cases in New Jersey in 2018.
