If the disease leaves Thailand and becomes endemic in the neighboring countries it is possible AHS will spread through Asia and reach Europe and the US.

The source of the outbreak seems to be Zebras that are commonly brought into Thailand to quarantine before being shipped off to other countries. The disease control measures are said to have been inadequate so that Zebras could be imported cheaply from Africa with no health checks, held for a short time in holding ‘zoos’, then shipped on for significant profit to China. The disease is often asymptomatic in zebra but deadly in horses.

Now the Thai government stopped releasing public figures regarding deaths and outbreak areas of AHS. The horse community in Thailand is very worried and asking for international pressure to call on the Thai government to stop the spread of AHS.