Could the flu be fatal and what are the symptoms? The disease may be serious in unvaccinated horses, although symptoms in vaccinated horses are usually mild and transient. Symptoms may include a raised temperature, a cough and nasal discharge, and a horse’s performance is affected. It is highly contagious. What is the treatment for infected horses and how long does it last? Much the same as for human flu. Rest, and other medications for symptoms as needed. In vaccinated horses, typically 24-48 hours, though with performance potentially affected for several days, or sometimes weeks. If a horse is unvaccinated, it can range between 2 - 10 days. Is there any risk to human health from the equine influenza virus? There is no known human health risk associated with the virus. How did the virus arrive in this country and how has it spread? We are working to identify the most likely source of the outbreak, but we have not confirmed this yet. We expect there is a link between this outbreak and other recent outbreaks elsewhere in Europe. When did you first know about this strain and what did you do? We first became aware of the European outbreak in December 2018, and notices were issued by the BHA in relation to this. Trainers were advised to vaccinate any horses which had not been vaccinated in the previous six months. What steps have you taken since being informed of the outbreak yesterday? The first step was to call off racing. We have also stopped some Irish horses from returning home after racing in Britain on February 6. These horses are now in quarantine. We have put restrictions in place on horses from yards likely to have been in contact with horses from affected yards. Testing of all horses on stopped yards is taking place, funded by the Levy Board. What should be done about race entries and declarations? Entries and declarations can be made as usual until advice is given to the contrary. Trainers in affected or potentially affected yards will be contacted with specific guidance. What is the advice to people working with racehorses? Everyone should be vigilant and alert to possible clinical signs. They should put increased biosecurity measures in place - as a minimum, hand washing and change of clothes should be required on arrival at any yard. What is the advice to owners of other horses not part of the racing industry? We can’t speak on behalf of other equestrian sports or the leisure industry, but the general advice if anyone has any concerns is to contact their vet. When will the ban on racing be lifted? Might it be lifted partially in some areas of the country? We will issue a further update on racing fixtures as soon as possible. For fixtures on Friday February 8, and the weekend of February 9-10, we expect to provide an update this evening (February 7). Did you have contingency measures in place for dealing with this kind of outbreak? Yes, these include the measures enacted in the last 24 hours. We will continue to put restrictions on racing and the movement of horses as appropriate. Could the Cheltenham Festival be under threat? It is far too early to say. In general, we would not expect the situation to be as bad as in Australia in 2007, when racing was stopped for an extended period, as British horses are vaccinated and the virus is endemic in the UK. The situation is very different in Australia where the virus is not endemic and horses and not vaccinated. How many horses will you swab - and how, when and why? A vet would take a nasal swab. We will be swabbing all horses from in-contact yards tomorrow, as testing is most reliable 48 hours after likely/possible exposure. In general, swabs are taken if symptoms are identified. We recommend that owners or trainers immediately contact their vet to arrange this. All swabs for racehorses are paid for by Levy Board funding. All rights reserved for this news site dailymail and under his responsibility