Blood samples of horses to be tested

Weeks after eight horses of the state police died in Ahmedabad due to equine influenza, district health administration of Surat has taken preventive measures to check the spread of the disease. Officials of the department on Monday took blood samples of 20 horses owned by the Surat district police and 40 others from rest of the district.

The blood samples have been sent to Foot and Mouth Diseases Laboratory in Ahmedabad for testing. Cops have isolated the horses and have stopped using them in patrolling and other activities. Any further action will be taken only after the receipt of test reports.

Sources said the samples were collected by the department after much delay, despite orders by the state government.

Though a highly infectious disease, equine influenza doesn’t spread to humans from horses, and so there is least to worry.

“The samples sent to Ahmedabad will be later sent to Haryana to check whether there is any other infection in the blood. We have prescribed medicines for the horses as a precaution and are waiting for results. However, there is no chance of equine influenza spreading to humans even if a person remains in continuous contact with an infected horse,” KH Modi, an official of district health department, said.