NSW Hot-Spots Cleared To Join EI-Free Zone

NSW Minister For Primary Industries Ian Macdonald announced several areas "previously known as Equine Influenza hot spots have been given a clean bill of health for the contagious horse flu". He confirmed: "Exhaustive testing has failed to identify horse flu at Armidale, Narrabri, Gunnedah, Dubbo, Wellington, Parkes, Forbes & Grenfell. I am pleased to say this means these areas have joined the other 91% of NSW considered EI-free & are now part of the White Zone, previously known as the protected area Green Zone. At the height of the outbreak hundreds of horse properties in these areas were quarantined. Now the gates are open & they are free to move, provided they have a Travelling Horses Statement. Horses within the White Zone can be moved over state borders more easily following the down-grading of the Green Zone to the same level of risk as interstate EI-free areas." Macdonald also noted: "In another significant move, all of the Red Zone north of the Hawkesbury River has been down-graded to Amber, with a small area south of the Hawkesbury (near Wollongong & Camden) & the Blue Mountains remaining in the Red Zone while more testing is undertaken."