New Delhi: The Delhi government has restricted the entry, exit and movements of horses, donkeys and mules within the capital for three months in the wake of the spread of glanders, a contagious equine disease.

A state government notification on Monday said samples from 32 horses from areas in west, southwest and southeast New Delhi, and the northwest districts of Delhi have been found positive for glanders, a bacterial infection that can be lethal for equines.

The notification declared the capital as a "controlled area" and announced intensified surveillance in 5km radii circles around 11 epicentres where horses have been found positive for glanders.

The epicentre zones are Goyla, Kakrola, Palam, Tihar, Tagore Garden, Wazirpur, Kanhiya Nagar, Raja Garden, Dasghara, RK Puram and Okhla.

The government has directed all organisations with equines to get their animals tested for glanders immediately.