Horse flu should be eradicated by Easter: NSW Govt

The New South Wales Government has declared the worst of the horse flu infection over.

Primary Industries Minister Ian MacDonald says a large part of the state has moved from high-risk to low-risk zones.
He says it means almost half of the red zone, which is about 4.5 million hectares, will be moved to amber zone status today.

Mr MacDonald says he hopes the disease will be eradicated by Easter next year.

"Eradication is our goal," he said. "We're not accepting that the disease is endemic.

"We believe that we will eradicate it in NSW as well as then providing the basis for working with industry into the future as to what sort of plans we'll put in place for the control and eradication of the disease."

The number of infections peaked on September 26 and has been steadily declining.