A barn at Beulah Park in Ohio has been released from quarantine, but a possible case of equine herpesvirus is being investigated in another barn, officials said Jan. 8.
The quarantine was lifted from Barn 25, which had been considered low-risk because a horse from a previously-quarantined barn had been moved there. Barn 24 remains under quarantine pending test results; three horses from that barn have died, officials said.
There could be a new case in Barn 23, said Chris McErlean, vice president of racing for Beulah Park owner Penn National Gaming Inc. The first test was negative for equine herpesvirus, but Ohio Department of Agriculture veterinarians will perform another test on the horse in question.
Ohio State Racing Commission officials said horses aren't permitted to leave Beulah Park while the quarantine is in place, and the OSRC prefers that no horses be brought onto the grounds of the Columbus-area track. Horses that are brought in won’t be allowed to leave until the quarantine ends.
With quarantines and various biosecurity measures in place, the 2011 live race meet began as scheduled Jan. 8 at Beulah Park and continues uninterrupted.