NAKHON RATCHASIMA: The number of horses killed by a viral disease called African horse sickness in Pak Chong district of this northeastern province has risen to 146.
Provincial livestock development office chief Pasawee Somjai said on Saturday 13 other horses also had severe symptoms.
There have been no reports of the deaths in other districts, said he added.
Earlier, tests confirmed that 73 horses in Pak Chong had died of the African horse sickness, or African plague, he said.
Nakhon Ratchasima governor Wichian Chantharanothai issued an order on March 26, prohibiting the movement of horses out of the area to prevent the spread of the disease. Five road checkpoints had been set up to block the movement of the animals following the deaths in Pak Chong district.
The province has 1,455 horses at 110 farms. Of the animals, 1,002 were in Pak Chong, 368 in Muang district and the remaining in other districts.
All farms have given full cooperation to provincial authorities by not moving their animals. Pak Chong has 46 horse farms. All have been asked to spray disinfectant and insecticide. Mosquito nets were also erected at the stables.
African horse sickness is a deadly viral disease that originated in Africa. It mainly attacks horses and donkeys, with gnats being the carriers. The virus attacks the lungs and respiratory system quickly and can kill a horse within hours.
Staff spray disinfectant at a horse farm in Nakhon Ratchasima. (Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)
(Photo by Prasit Tangprasert)