The Philippines has issued a temporary ban on the importation of domestic and wild horses from Thailand amid reports of an outbreak of African horse sickness.
The African horse sickness has a mortality rate of 70 to 95 percent. The symptoms in horses are fever, swollen parts of the body, and breathing problems. The virus is carried by flies from an infected animal to the horse.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) suspended the distribution of sanitary phytosanitary import clearance for horses from Thailand. The agency also ordered the stop and confiscation of any commodities such as sperm and embryo that will enter the Philippines. The Bureau of Animal Industry encouraged to report any information regarding the disease. – Report from Cleizl Pardilla
