A sixth horse has died of Hendra virus in Queensland, this time in the far north.
The disease was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, after the horse died on Monday at a property west of Cairns, Queensland’s chief biosecurity officer Jim Thompson said.
“On Sunday a horse was sick and it was visited by a vet, samples were taken,” he told reporters late Tuesday.
“The horse was depressed, wobbly and showed neurological symptoms and the horse died yesterday morning.”
He said samples were tested on Tuesday, showing the far north’s first case in the current Hendra outbreak.
The case means eight horses with Hendra have died or been put down since June 20 in Queensland and northern NSW.
Dr Thompson said the property, between Kuranda, Mareeba and Cairns, would be quarantined and any recent movements of around 30 horses on the property would be traced.
“It’s very early days, we’ve only just found out late this afternoon so we’re moving to the property and quarantining the property this afternoon and we’ll make an assessment of the issues at that property,” he said.
Queensland Health’s chief health officer Jeannette Young said the vet who treated the horse was thought to have been wearing appropriate protection, but that was not confirmed.
It was unknown how many people had been exposed, she said.
“At this stage we’re not sure who’s had contact with the horse … and we’ve got some of our medical staff going up to the property,” she told reporters.
Dr Thompson said there was no information to suggest the north Queensland case was linked to those in the southeast.
“This one would be considered quite a different case,” he said.
But there had been cases in the north in previous years, he said.
He said 40 horses on other quarantined properties were not showing signs of the disease.
Seventeen people in Queensland are being monitored for signs of the disease after being exposed to sick animals.
AAP TURF
