More Fair Grounds horses test positive for equine herpes

NEW ORLEANS (AP) Officials at the New Orleans Fair Grounds say more horses have tested positive for equine herpes this week, resulting in the lengthening and expansion of existing quarantines.

The Receiving Barn returned a pair of positive tests, while two other barns returned 28 positive tests combined, resulting in 14-day quarantines being reset.

An additional barn was placed under quarantine when one horse there tested positive.

The virus, called EHV-1, is latent in many horses, but symptoms can emerge periodically, making it contagious. EHV-1 can cause respiratory or neurological problems, as well as aborted or unhealthy pregnancies.

Racing continues at the Fair Grounds, where officials say they're working with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture to find places outside the Fair Grounds to isolate infected horses.