Report on EI Public Meeting Ourimbah 13.10.07
Unofficial Report - by Kerry Morgan
(Member public attending - member of local Pony Club and Western Club)
I attended the Ourimbah EI meeting last night 13 Oct at Ourimbah RSL.
Speakers were Peter Tazawa the vet, a local field officer from DPI, and a rep from the Police. Chaired by lady who was recently recruited to DPI from horse industry locally. Brett Warren (vet) also spoke unofficially at the meeting. It went for about 2 hrs. There was a slide/video presentation showing flu symptoms, maps of zones etc. Matters discussed are outlined below.
1) Purple zone - no individual quarantine orders, all previous orders no longer in force, people should still report new infections to DPI but no signs/tape etc being issued. Free movement of all horses - even EI affected - within the zone (Tamworth to NE, Bulahdelah to north, Picton to south) - virus is likely to spread more under these conditions.
People allowed to remove signs and tape, but OK to leave them in place if they wished.
Police said if anyone was pulled over, to ask the officer to contact HQ as they are still informing their guys of the changed requirements, but that the stations had the current info and would confirm.
2) People whose horses have not had EI to continue to practice strict biosecurity - main agents of spread have been people and wind currents (so if property is in a "pocket" that has remained unaffected, it may continue to be EI-free). DPI said flu appears to have "jumped" Galston Gorge by air transfer - no human agency apparent. Birds and flies also can spread flu from horse to horse.
3) The Govt has purchased all available stocks of the live vaccine ProtecFlu TE from Merial, next batch won't be ready for about 3 months (for third round of vaccinations), so it is unlikely that any vaccine will be available for horses in Red and Purple zones. Some killed vaccine has been brought in but availability is limited. May register online with HIC to apply for vaccination (but don't hold your breath.)
4) Horses may be challenged more by having to cope with EI in hotter, dustier conditions - monitor closely. Dry hacking cough OK, suppressed or gurgling cough danger sign, call vet immediately, or if temp goes over 40 degrees. Disease lasts from 3 - 7 days, if horse sick longer, call vet.
5) Competitions and events may again be held as long as all horses come from the Purple Zone - though it is up to individual associations to make the decision. (Dressage Club said they would not be holding comps due to risk of spread, Pony Club is taking it to their meeting but probably won't start official competition till next year's start of season - due to it being unfair re end-of-year awards etc to people whose horses are unable to compete).
6) Zoning changed - without public consultation - main reasons were to allow horse industry people (farriers, trainers etc) to get back to work due to economic concerns, and to allow recovered horses to be worked once they were well. Vet stated some horses at risk due to laminitis from lack of farriers, important to look after feet as this could be bigger danger than flu.
7) Truck wash facilities available at Scone and Raymond Terrace to the north for decontamination of horse vehicles if they needed to be taken out of the zone. No requirement to decontaminate within zone.
8) The "burn itself out" theory is still current, DPI hoping that ring vaccination in the buffer zone will confine all infection to Red and Purple zones and eventually all affected horses in those zones will get over it, and once they are no longer shedding virus, any unaffected horses will no longer be at risk of catching it - should take about 6 months all up. They expect new infections to continue to occur within infected zones, though this is slowing down somewhat due to population numbers.
9) No clear figures available as to number of horses in this zone that have had EI - somewhere between 20 - 50%.
10) Virus has a fat layer around it so any detergent or soap-based cleaner is very effective - Dettol,chlorhexidine, truck wash, household detergent. If decontamination pack not supplied, equivalent items can be purchased from Bunnings, supermarket etc. The virus particle does not survive long out of host in hot, dry conditions, needs moisture.
If anyone has any questions about any other stuff that may have been
discussed at the meeting, please feel to contact me and I can try to answer your questions.
(Member public attending - member of local Pony Club and Western Club)
I attended the Ourimbah EI meeting last night 13 Oct at Ourimbah RSL.
Speakers were Peter Tazawa the vet, a local field officer from DPI, and a rep from the Police. Chaired by lady who was recently recruited to DPI from horse industry locally. Brett Warren (vet) also spoke unofficially at the meeting. It went for about 2 hrs. There was a slide/video presentation showing flu symptoms, maps of zones etc. Matters discussed are outlined below.
1) Purple zone - no individual quarantine orders, all previous orders no longer in force, people should still report new infections to DPI but no signs/tape etc being issued. Free movement of all horses - even EI affected - within the zone (Tamworth to NE, Bulahdelah to north, Picton to south) - virus is likely to spread more under these conditions.
People allowed to remove signs and tape, but OK to leave them in place if they wished.
Police said if anyone was pulled over, to ask the officer to contact HQ as they are still informing their guys of the changed requirements, but that the stations had the current info and would confirm.
2) People whose horses have not had EI to continue to practice strict biosecurity - main agents of spread have been people and wind currents (so if property is in a "pocket" that has remained unaffected, it may continue to be EI-free). DPI said flu appears to have "jumped" Galston Gorge by air transfer - no human agency apparent. Birds and flies also can spread flu from horse to horse.
3) The Govt has purchased all available stocks of the live vaccine ProtecFlu TE from Merial, next batch won't be ready for about 3 months (for third round of vaccinations), so it is unlikely that any vaccine will be available for horses in Red and Purple zones. Some killed vaccine has been brought in but availability is limited. May register online with HIC to apply for vaccination (but don't hold your breath.)
4) Horses may be challenged more by having to cope with EI in hotter, dustier conditions - monitor closely. Dry hacking cough OK, suppressed or gurgling cough danger sign, call vet immediately, or if temp goes over 40 degrees. Disease lasts from 3 - 7 days, if horse sick longer, call vet.
5) Competitions and events may again be held as long as all horses come from the Purple Zone - though it is up to individual associations to make the decision. (Dressage Club said they would not be holding comps due to risk of spread, Pony Club is taking it to their meeting but probably won't start official competition till next year's start of season - due to it being unfair re end-of-year awards etc to people whose horses are unable to compete).
6) Zoning changed - without public consultation - main reasons were to allow horse industry people (farriers, trainers etc) to get back to work due to economic concerns, and to allow recovered horses to be worked once they were well. Vet stated some horses at risk due to laminitis from lack of farriers, important to look after feet as this could be bigger danger than flu.
7) Truck wash facilities available at Scone and Raymond Terrace to the north for decontamination of horse vehicles if they needed to be taken out of the zone. No requirement to decontaminate within zone.
8) The "burn itself out" theory is still current, DPI hoping that ring vaccination in the buffer zone will confine all infection to Red and Purple zones and eventually all affected horses in those zones will get over it, and once they are no longer shedding virus, any unaffected horses will no longer be at risk of catching it - should take about 6 months all up. They expect new infections to continue to occur within infected zones, though this is slowing down somewhat due to population numbers.
9) No clear figures available as to number of horses in this zone that have had EI - somewhere between 20 - 50%.
10) Virus has a fat layer around it so any detergent or soap-based cleaner is very effective - Dettol,chlorhexidine, truck wash, household detergent. If decontamination pack not supplied, equivalent items can be purchased from Bunnings, supermarket etc. The virus particle does not survive long out of host in hot, dry conditions, needs moisture.
If anyone has any questions about any other stuff that may have been
discussed at the meeting, please feel to contact me and I can try to answer your questions.
posted by Horse Deals at
3:48 pm
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