Vesicular Stomatitis Spreads to More Counties in Arizona, New Mexico and Texas

May 13, 2020 — 

The 2020 VSV outbreak began on April 13, 2020, when the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, Iowa confirmed the first VSV-positive premises in Dona Ana County, New Mexico. Arizona and Texas subsequently broke with VSV cases which were confirmed by NVSL on April 22, 2020 (Cochise County, Arizona) and April 23, 2020 (Starr County, Texas). [Source: Colorado Department of Agriculture 5 May 2020]

Since the start of the outbreak, 23 VSV-affected premises have been identified (21 confirmed positive, 2 suspect). Twenty (20) of these premises have only equine species clinically affected and 3 premises have clinically affected cattle (Starr and Zapata Counties, Texas).

Arizona has identified 5 affected premises (5 confirmed positive, 0 suspect) in 4 counties (Cochise, Gila, Pima, and Pinal Counties). New Mexico has identified 12 affected premises (10 confirmed positive, 2 suspect) in 6 counties (Bernalillo, De Baca, Dona Ana, Eddy, Grant and Sierra Counties). Texas has identified 6 affected premises (6 confirmed positive, 0 suspect) in 3 counties (El Paso, Starr, and Zapata Counties).

Please see the USDA APHIS Veterinary Services website to read the current situation report for all confirmed cases in the US.