Expert Says Japan Likely Source Of EI Crisis

In Australia, Japan "has been highlighted as the source of the equine influenza virus which caused losses running into hundreds of millions of dollars to the racing industry," reported anzbloodstocknews.com. The "finger had been pointed at horses from Ireland as the initial source of the disease entering Australia via the Eastern Creek animal quarantine centre", but at the Callinan Inquiry Dr James Watson (veterinary investigation leader at the Australian Animal Health Laboratory) "confirmed Japan as the likely source of the virus entering Australia". Watson summed up: "Putting all the facts together . . . . it points to some form of common exposure of the horses, which favours the origin somewhere in Japan or transit there from." Dr Watson was speaking "ahead of a report that is expected to be tabled at the inquiry later today by Dr Richard Newton from Britain's Animal Health Trust; Newton "is the world's leading expert on equine influenza" & his report "is also expected to point to Japan as the source of the influenza".