BEF reports normal levels of EHV disease risk in the UK

Following the outbreak of EHV-1 in Europe, the British Equestrian Federation is pleased to report that disease risk in the UK is now nearing normal levels

British Equestrian’s Equine Infectious Diseases Action Group (EIDAG) reports that, while EHV-1 remains an ever-present threat, the mildly increased disease risk, which was announced on 18 March, is now reducing to the baseline number of cases seen in any other year.

Monitoring and lab testing in Europe is going extremely well and helping contain the disease in Europe. All the horses that have completed the lab testing option detailed in the EHV-1 protocols in the UK have shown no signs of active infection. However, there’s no plan to stop these testing protocols, so horses will still need to be tested prior to returning to competition.

Event organisers are still encouraged to request that competitors complete a self-certification of equine health and freedom from disease contact form. But, with that being said, EIDAG hopes that by 12 April the restriction that horses must have been in the country for the last 28 days in order to attend UK horse gatherings will be unnecessary. Providing that risk levels continue to fall a new template will be formed allowing this restriction to be removed.

British Equestrian Chief Executive Jim Eyre commented: “This is welcome news. We know that EHV is endemic in this country, but the threat posed by the European outbreak was a cause for great concern. I’d like to thank the member bodies and all their riders, owners and grooms, who embraced and followed the protocols so readily and with such commitment. We’re also grateful to the members of the EIDAG – Celia Marr and her team have been a huge support and played an instrumental part in mitigating any risk of the spread of EHV and keeping our collective equine population safe.”

 For more information, visit britishequestrian.org.uk