Deadly virus in horses

BRISBANE: A third horse from the Rockhampton property where an outbreak of the deadly Hendra virus has put four people in hospital and killed two horses, has contracted the virus and will be euthanased.

Biosecurity Queensland acting Chief Veterinary Officer Rick Symons confirmed yesterday that test samples taken from the horse, named Winnie, at the Cawarral horse nursery property came back positive.

The horse had been in isolation on a quarantined property and the result did not present any new risk to human or horse health, he said. A post-mortem examination on the horse would be held for research purposes.

"The Cawarral property will remain under quarantine until Biosecurity Queensland is completely confident there is no chance of any further infection," Symons added.

Three horse stud workers exposed to the virus are still in a Brisbane hospital, and a a Rockhampton vet is on life support in Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital in a "very critical" condition.

The three workers had close contact with three infected horses on the property.

Those horses have since died.

- AAP