“Owners Should Keep Their Horses Away”: Authorities on High Alert After Detection of a Deadly Virus After a Horse Death

Veterinary doctors always recommend vaccinations to keep horses healthy because, like any animal, they are susceptible to diseases and infections, and there are some known viruses that can infect them. However, sometimes people do not heed these recommendations, which can result in a chaotic situation.

A recent case of horse’s death occurred in Australia that created an emergency situation. The reason is confirmed to be a virus by the name Hendra. The horse which died was unvaccinated, which has caused concern among the medical authorities. The concern is whether or not any human got in contact with the horse during that time.

Deadly virus a reason of headache for the equestrian world

A 24-year-old unvaccinated horse died in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia on a private property. The cause of the horse’s death is confirmed to be Hendra Virus. It is a virus that causes acute respiratory problems which results in death. The case is now being monitored by the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) chief veterinary officer Jo Coombe. Speaking on the situation, he informed, “The horse was depressed, uncoordinated, had a nasal discharge and high temperatures, so the attending vet collected samples for testing and notified the DPI Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.”

The virus is also transferable to humans. Therefore, the authorities, along with the veterinary doctor who attended the case, are performing a risk assessment of anyone who might have contacted the infected horse. According to Dr Coombe right now, none of the animals around the area are showing signs of ill health.

He also urged the horse owners to remain vigilant because the signs of the virus are visible at a later stage. He also said, “Owners should also keep their horses away from flowering and fruiting trees that are attractive to bats“. The horses get the virus from bats, which are its carriers.

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Dr.Coombe said that vaccination is the only effective way to contain the virus. He appealed to the public to notify the authorities if they find a horse unwell and isolate humans from it.

Hendra virus cases in Australia

The first case of the Hendra virus was detected in 1994 in Queensland. In that case, twelve horses and a trainer died because of it. Though Hendra is a rare disease but its fatality rate is higher at 75% in horses and 57% in humans. Hendra is now a notifiable disease in Australia, which means it’s a legal obligation to notify the authorities about the disease even on suspicion. In Australia, there are four confirmed human deaths from the virus. According to the Australian Veterinary Association, till now there have been 67 confirmed Hendra virus outbreaks in the country since 2016.

The virus is the cause of major concern, keeping in mind its high fatality rate. The owners should comply with the authority’s recommendation and appeal to contain the situation.

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