Pa. racetrack quarantines horses after virus found

    A suburban Philadelphia racetrack has quarantined several dozen horses after one tested positive for a strain of contagious herpes virus.

    The Pennsylvania Agriculture Department said Thursday that 74 horses at Parx Casino and Racetrack were put under quarantine over the weekend as a precaution, and no other horses are showing signs of Equine herpesvirus Type 1, also known as EHV-1.

    The airborne virus can cause respiratory problems and abortion and can kill foals. It doesn’t infect humans.

    Officials said barns and horses will remain under quarantine for at least three weeks. That means no horses will be shipped in or out of the Bensalem racetrack.

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    Last weekend’s racing card was canceled due to a combination of the weather and virus.

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