Official thinks Ohio safe from horse-virus outbreak

COLUMBUS (AP) — The state’s official veterinarian believes Ohio is safe from a deadly horse virus which has infected dozens of horses this month in at least 11 states and Canada.

Dr. Tony Forshey tells The Columbus Dispatch no Ohio horses were at an equine event in Utah linked to the outbreak.

He says the virus does not affect humans and won’t spread further as long as infected animals are quarantined.

The manager of a horse show opening Friday at the Ohio Expo Center in Columbus says organizers are being very diligent. She says none of the hundreds of horses entered in the event were at the Utah show.

The newspaper reports the Equine Herpes Virus-1 showed up in Ohio late last year at Beulah Park track in central Ohio. Three horses died.