Australia: Horse euthanised after first Hendra virus case in five years reported in Queensland
July 9, 2022, 11:19 am

Australia: Horse euthanised after first Hendra virus case in five years reported in Queensland

Hendra virus spread from flying foxes to horses, horses to horses and, rarely, from horses to people. It can be fatal in humans - Photo. Pixabay

Queensland has recorded its first case of Hendra virus since 2017 after a horse tested positive in Mackay, The Guardian reported.

Biosecurity Queensland said the result was confirmed on Friday (July 8) and the horse was euthanised after its condition deteriorated rapidly.

It isolated the property as staff worked to identify the source of the virus and ensure humans had not been exposed.

Biosecurity Queensland’s chief veterinary officer, Allison Crook, said: “Tracing and risk assessments have been undertaken on other animals on the property. We are working with the property and horse owners to ensure the risk is contained on the property.”

The horse that tested positive had not been vaccinated against Hendra, The Guardian mentioned.

People in contact with horses need to remember to continue to practise good biosecurity and personal hygiene measures even if a horse is vaccinated against Hendra virus - Photo. Pixabay

It said that the virus was discovered in 1994 following an outbreak of illness in horses at a racing stable in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra.

It can spread from flying foxes to horses, horses to horses and, rarely, from horses to people. It can be fatal in humans.

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Crook said: “Hendra virus infection can occur throughout the year so it’s important that horse owners take steps to protect themselves and their animals at all times.”

Horse owners are urged to seek advice if an animal shows any symptoms of the virus, including a rapid onset of fever, an increased heart rate and rapid deterioration with respiratory and/or neurological signs.

Crook said: “If a horse becomes sick, owners should contact their veterinarian immediately.”

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He added: “People in contact with horses need to remember to continue to practise good biosecurity and personal hygiene measures even if a horse is vaccinated against Hendra virus.”

Source: theguardian

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
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