Staff report

Eight additional horses in Virginia have tested positive for West Nile Virus WNV), according to an announcement Monday by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

One of the horses was in Suffolk, the second in the city this year. In addition, the VDACS confirmed Monday that a horse in Suffolk tested positive for Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE).

This brings the total of WNV confirmed positive horses to 13 so far this year. It was the second EEE case in horses. Of the 13 WNV horses, eight died or were euthanized and five are recovering. The Suffolk EEE horse was euthanized.

The other West Nile Virus positive horses were in Spotsylvania, Stafford, Roanoke County, New Kent Culpeper, Chesapeake and Augusta. An emu was also confirmed positive for EEE.

For more information on WNV and how to protect humans and horses, log on to the following Web site: www.vdacs.state.va.us/animals/wnv.html. For more information on EEE, log on to www.rec.rutgers.edu/~insects/heee.htm.