NSW 'slowly recovering' from horse flu

Authorities say NSW has turned the corner and is slowly ridding itself of the scourge of equine influenza (EI).

The number of properties affected by the virus has topped 5,000, the NSW government says, but the rate of new infections is falling and the newly infected horses are in existing quarantine zones.

"We believe we have contained the disease and we are now on the road to recovery," Primary Industries Minister Ian Macdonald told reporters in Sydney.

"Although the number of properties has reached 5,050 we're not getting any infection in any other area outside of those purple and red (quarantine) zones.

"Therefore the disease is not spreading and if you look at the incidence of it we believe there is a decline."

Mr Macdonald said 8,500 horses had been vaccinated in buffer zones surrounding the areas under quarantine and the buffer zones were holding.

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