From Rusty Ford, Kentucky Agriculture official:

The Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian has confirmed a diagnosis of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 to be affecting horses housed in barn 3 at The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington. The index case was reported on Tuesday evening 2/13 after a horse that had presented with fever of unknown origin was sampled and results of PCR testing identified the horse to be positive for EHV1 ‘wild type’ on both nasal wash and whole blood. The barn was immediately secured with no horses being allowed to move into or out of the barn. In addition to securing the barn with 24 hour guard assignment, a sanitizing area outside the barn’s entrance has been established and all individuals entering and leaving the barn must properly clean and disinfect and dispose of personal protective clothing that is provided on entry into the barn.

The affected barn’s population is currently comprised of eighteen (18) horses including the index case. Two horses that moved out of the barn prior to the discovery are currently in isolation on a private farm. We have this evening emptied and secured a barn at The Thoroughbred Center and will be dedicating this barn to serve as the quarantine barn used to isolate the positive horses.

Samples collected from the exposed horses earlier today have been partially reported, and has identified six (6) additional positive cases. Five (5) horses were positive on nasal swab only and one was positive on both blood and nasal swab. In addition to the horses exposed in the barn, the outriders have been sampled and they too were reported negative.

Dr. Stout was on the grounds this morning, and I this evening. After assessing the environment, we continue to be of the shared opinion that the procedures and protocols put in place are being properly implemented and do provide us opportunity to contain the virus. Updates will be provided as new information is learned.