The Colombian Agricultural Institute (ICA) issued a quarantine order after the death of eight horses due to Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) were reported from the municipality of Yopal, Casanare, according to a Caracol Radio report (computer translated).
The manager of ICA in Casanare said in a press release, “It is the duty of the Institute to prevent the spread of the disease and contribute to its control for the benefit of animal health in the country, so the ICA declared quarantine in the area corresponding to focal area, equivalent to a radius of five kilometers from the affected farm. ”
ICA banned the entry or exit of animals of the villages of La Union and Picon, during the duration of the quarantine.
“Eastern Equine Encephalitis is a disease of particular importance to human health because of the possibility of transmission between animals and man. This zoonosis is of high social and economic impact,” the ICA said.
EEE is spread to horses and humans by infected mosquitoes, including several Culex species and Culiseta melanura.
Symptoms of EEE disease often appear 4 to 10 days after someone is bitten by an infected mosquito.
EEE is a more serious disease than West Nile Virus (WNV) and carries a high mortality rate for those who contract the serious encephalitis form of the illness. Symptoms may include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, and sore throat. There is no specific treatment for the disease, which can lead to seizures and coma.
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