*This is the most up-to-date information on the Equine Influenza
situation in NSW. Please pass on to other horse owners.*

Equine Influenza virus may have possibly come out of Eastern Creek
Quarantine Station and transferred to a horse (yet unknown) that went to
a One Day Event at Maitland on Saturday 18th August. Infection spread
from Maitland to at least 50 other sites in NSW and at least one in
Queensland. The NSW authorities are concentrating on tracing and
checking all 250 horses that were at the Maitland event. They are also
trying to identify how infection reached the Maitland event.

Equine Influenza is highly infective and has a very short incubation
period. Just how infective can be seen from the 2 horses returning from
Maitland to Centennial Park stables. They developed signs on about
Tuesday 21st August. They spread the disease to 160 horses of the other
162 horses in the stables in less than a week.

Horses from Centennial Park went to competitions this past weekend at
Parkes and Tamworth where further infections have been confirmed. Other
movements of horses from Centennial Park are also being traced.

*The authorities are still confident that the standstill will contain
the disease as long as horse owners cooperate fully*.

There are many horses that are being held at venues around NSW having
been caught in the standstill during the weekend. If these horses
remain free of infection over the next few days it can be assumed that
there are no infected horses at that venue. These horses will be
allowed to return home in due course under a permit system.

At venues where infection has developed, and this includes Parkes and
Tamworth, the horses will have to be retained for an extended period.
Other than movement restrictions there are no control procedures like
animal destruction or vaccination being practised. The disease will
burn itself out as long as animals are kept on property.

The current complete standstill of all horses will be extended and is
being enforced by the Police and RTA. Any movements within NSW have to
be approved by the Local Disease Control Centre.

These restrictions have come at a critically difficult time for the
studs and breeding sector. There are a number of suspect properties
located in and around the intensive breeding areas such as the Hunter
Valley. While the disease situation is unclear it would be foolish to
risk further spread of infection by allowing horse movements.

Movements of para-veterinary personnel such as farriers and dentists are
to be restricted while the movement standstill is in place. Veterinary
visits are to be kept to an absolute minimum. Veterinarians have been
issued with Biosecurity guidelines to prevent transfer of infection.
Guidelines are being developed to allow visits by horse para-veterinary
personnel. We repeat that the risk of new infection is so great and the
current position after only three days is so uncertain that the horse
industry needs to err on the side of caution to ensure we eliminate the
disease as quickly as possible.

If you want to see any official notification check the DPI website at
www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza
<http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/equine-influenza> The
www.horsecouncil.org.au <http://www.horsecouncil.org.au> site has been
getting overloaded!

Copyright 2005 Australian Horse Industry Council