Hendra Virus & Updates

Mon, Jul 4 2011

BIOSECURITY QLD INDUSTRY COMMUNICATION

(ALL PDF documents regarding weekly updates are at the bottom of this page.)


BIOSECURITY ALERT HENDRA VIRUS
On Tuesday 28 June 2011, samples from a horse were tested and found to be positive for Hendra virus.
The horse was from a property in the Beaudesert area.
The horse was reported as becoming suddenly ill and a private vet visited on Saturday 25 June 2011.
The horse was depressed, with hind limb incoordination, fever, respiratory distress and congested mucous membranes. The horse died the following day.
Biosecurity Queensland has quarantined two properties in the Beaudesert area and is working with affected horse and property owners in conjunction with other government agencies.
Restrictions are in place on the quarantined properties and apply to the movement of horses and other items onto and off the properties.
No other movement restrictions for Hendra virus are in place for horses in Queensland.
The movement of people onto and off the quarantined properties is not restricted, however good biosecurity practices should continue to be observed.
Hendra virus is not related to Equine Influenza virus. Hendra virus is not considered to be highly contagious between horses.
A community engagement program has commenced including the relocation of the DEEDI mobile office to Beaudesert.
More information about Hendra virus is available at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au or by following Biosecurity Queensland on Facebook and Twitter.
Horse owners are urged to review their biosecurity procedures and contact their veterinarian if they suspect Hendra virus.
Horse event organisers are encouraged to review their biosecurity plans.
More information
Notify suspected Hendra virus cases by contacting Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 (during business hours) or the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 (24-hour hotline). More information is available at www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au
Contact your GP, local Emergency Department or local Public Health Unit if you have concerns about possible exposure of people to a horse with Hendra virus infection. General enquiries about Hendra virus infection in humans may be directed to the Queensland Health Hotline on 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84).
Contact Workplace Health and Safety Queensland on 1300 369 915 or visit
www.worksafe.qld.gov.au  if you need information about managing Hendra virus risks at workplaces.
Dr. Rick Symons
Chief Veterinary Officer
Biosecurity Queensland
Biosecurity alert
Hendra virus – information for industry
29 June 2011

 

Important information

NSW DPI advises horse owners to take precautions in areas with flying foxes - to reduce the risk of their horses becoming infected:
• Place feed and water containers under cover.
• Do not place feed and water under trees, especially trees with fruit.
• Do not use feed that could attract flying foxes, such as apples, carrots, or molasses.
• Remove horses from paddocks where fruiting or flowering trees have temporarily attracted flying foxes.
• If it is not possible to remove the horse from the paddock, tape off the area under the tree.

Follow us online

www.agriculture.nsw.gov.au/info/hendra

Twitter: http://twitter.com/NSWHendraHQ
 


HENDRA VIRUS HORSE TESTS – FIRST ROUND RESULTS NEGATIVE
Test results from samples taken from five horses on a property at Kerry near Beaudesert have come back negative for Hendra virus.
Biosecurity Queensland Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Rick Symons said while the results were promising, these were just the first of three rounds of testing.
“These results were for the five horses on the property where a horse became infected with Hendra virus,” Dr Symons said.
“Yesterday samples were taken from all twenty horses on the second property at Biddaddaba where the infected horse was transported and later died and the results are expected back in the next couple of days.
“All of the horses on both properties are under observation by Biosecurity Queensland staff in conjunction with the horse owners.
“However, we need to complete three negative rounds of testing on a property before the quarantine can be lifted. Typically this takes around 32 days.
“All neighbours of the infected properties have been visited by Biosecurity Queensland and Queensland Health who provided information about the incident and discussed Hendra virus.”
Dr Symons said people in the Beaudesert area could obtain information about Hendra virus from the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation’s mobile office.
“The office is at 29-31 William Street and will be open from 9am until 4pm.
“There are a number of horse owners in the area and more than 50 people visited the mobile office yesterday.
“The main queries were around the transport of horses and specifics about the virus itself.
“In relation to transport, apart from animals on the two affected properties, horses can be freely moved within and outside of the Beaudesert area.
“As for Hendra virus, it is present in flying fox populations which can be transferred to horses, between horses, and from horses to humans. However the risk of horses being infected, and in turn humans, is very low.
“The few cases of Hendra virus infection in humans have been the result of very close contact with an infected horse’s body fluids such as blood, nasal discharge, saliva, or urine.
“There is no evidence of human-to-human or flying fox-to-human spread of Hendra virus.”
Dr Symons said there were precautions horse owners could take to help prevent Hendra virus infection.
“Owners can help protect their horses by taking measures to keep them away from trees where there are flying foxes, keeping water containers under cover and feeding horses under cover.”
For more information about Hendra virus visit www.biosecurity.qld.gov.au or call 13 25 23.