Purple to green the next step in EI recovery

02 Jan 2008
The State Government will renew its attack on Equine Influenza targeting the purple zone in an effort to make NSW 100% free of horse flu, acting Primary Industries Minister Linda Burney said today.
Ms Burney said the first stage in the new process would see all horse owners in the special purple zone (which covers three percent of the State) complete a Travelling Horse Statement (THS) before moving horses.
“It is now time to concentrate efforts on cleaning up the disease in the EI purple zone around Sydney, the Hunter Valley and Tamworth,” she said.
“Our fight against this disease is moving into the purple zone with the ultimate view of stamping the disease out in this area once and for all.
“NSW DPI is recording only two new infected properties per week and it has been several weeks since a new property was detected in the Hunter Valley. In NSW there are 1194 EI infected properties while about 5500 have been cleared of infection.
“Veterinary teams will continue surveillance testing and investigations throughout the area to identify remaining infected properties and identify parts of the zone that are free from the disease.
“Knowing where the disease is in the purple zone means we can stop its spread through tighter movement requirements from January 14 and strategic use of vaccine.
“This latest move in the war on EI signals that the Iemma Government and the State’s horses industries continue to make steady advance against horse flu and its eradication.”
NSW deputy chief veterinary officer, Ian Roth, today said about 84 per cent of NSW is now part of the EI green zone, which is considered free of the contagious disease.
“Our goal remains complete eradication and ensuring all of the State gets back to being EI free so that our horse industries can enjoy a bright future,” he said.
Nationally-agreed-to requirements for horse owners in the purple zone from 14 January are:
* Use of Travelling Horse Statements;
* Registration of all horse events;
* Quarantining new infected properties; and
* Detailed investigation and tracing of all new infected properties.