(St. Paul, MN) — The state’s first case of West Nile virus in a horse indicates the mosquitoes that carry the disease are present in west central Minnesota.
State Board of Animal Health veterinarian Doctor Brian Hoefs says that’s reason for concern because horse infections can serve as kind of a “canary in the coal mine” for potential human cases in the same region.
He says they followed up with people at the boarding facility near Willmar to make sure no one has been infected. Hoefs says they expect a handful of equine cases this time of year.