Herpes case in Osnabrück: horse shows canceled

A horse at a riding stable in Osnabrück has tested positive for the highly contagious herpes virus. To prevent further spread of the disease, several riding clubs have canceled tournaments for the end of March. In addition, many businesses in the region are implementing strict protective measures, including access restrictions for external riders, as reported by the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung".

The affected stable has isolated the infected horse and is currently in quarantine. No further cases are known to date. Equine herpes can lead to severe symptoms such as fever, respiratory problems and even paralysis in infected animals. Jörg Maier from the Weser-Ems Equestrian Sports Association explains that the virus remains in the body for life and can become active again at any time.

Experts urgently recommend adhering to strict hygiene measures. According to experts, vaccination can also reduce the risk of severe disease progression. There are currently no indications of a major spread in Lower Saxony, but 40 horses had previously fallen ill in Schleswig-Holstein and one died. The coming weeks will show whether the current outbreak will have an impact on the show season.