January 23, 2013
Biosecurity Queensland is managing a new Hendra virus case near Mackay after a positive test result was received late last night.
One horse has died on the property after becoming unwell early this week.
Biosecurity Queensland is in the process of quarantining the property. There are other horses on the property and BQ will be working to determine what contact the infected horse had with other animals.
Testing and monitoring will then be undertaken over the next month and movement restrictions are in place on the property.
This was the first case of Hendra virus in Queensland this year.
Staff from the Department of Health’s Public Health Unit in Townsville will interview all people in contact with the horse, assess the situation and determine whether any testing or treatment is required.
These staff will undertake contact tracing work to ensure all people potentially exposed to the sick horse have been identified.
Transmission of the virus requires close contact with body fluids of the sick horse.
Biosecurity Queensland saus there is no evidence the virus can be passed directly from flying foxes to humans, from the environment to humans, from humans to horses, or can be transmitted by airborne droplets.
