Australian Government Media Release - 29 June 2008
Australia will tomorrow be declared officially free from equine influenza - making it one of the few countries in the world to eradicate the disease.
The last detected incidence of equine influenza was on 25 December last year and extensive monitoring since has not found any new cases. Coordinated surveillance and testing over the last six months has included nearly 79,000 laboratory tests in NSW and Queensland alone and the reporting of nearly 600 suspect premises, which were then cleared.
To satisfy World Animal Health Organization requirements, Australia will maintain an effective surveillance system for equine influenza until the end of 2008.
This is a major achievement for Australia and a testament to the cooperation of horse owners, veterinary authorities and the state and federal governments in those difficult months.
The full cost of the disease outbreak will never be known, but this declaration is a major milestone in the road to recovery.
