EI Buffer zone extended in State’s south to prevent disease spread

19 Nov 2007

The buffer area surrounding infected properties in the Forbes and Temora districts has been extended to enable more vaccination and prevent further spread of equine influenza (EI), chief veterinary officer Bruce Christie said today.

Mr Christie said the extension had enabled the creation of one large buffer region, within which strategic vaccination efforts would continue this week.

"This extended buffer will enable us to vaccinate more horses in the vicinity of an infected property and further reduce any additional spread of the disease in this part of the State," he said.

"The extended area now includes the town of Harden along with some smaller villages, and enables vaccination to take place in support of the other control efforts.

"Again, we urge people whose horses may be in this buffer to contact either the Forbes or the Temora vaccination centres and register their horses.
"Registered horses within some parts of this larger buffer zone will be vaccinated at no cost to their owners.

"We understand there are a large number of standardbred horses in the southern part of this region, and urge owners to register these animals so we can help protect them.

"We also remind people of the ongoing importance of good biosecurity to help us in controlling the EI outbreak.

"Simple things such as practising good biosecurity when handling horses, and adhering to movement restrictions, will make a huge contribution to us eradicating EI."

"Vaccination of uninfected horses in the buffer is a vitally important part of the strategy to contain the spread of the extremely contagious EI virus," Mr Christie said.

The Forbes Local Vaccination Centre can be contacted on 6850 2929 and the Temora centre on 69 773 333.