Thread: Governments Move Fast to Stop Horse Flu

Australia’s multi-billion dollar racing industry was plunged into turmoil on Saturday after an outbreak of equine influenza (EI) forced an unprecedented national lockdown.The Australian government placed a three-day ban on the movement of horses, mules and donkeys while race officials cancelled every major meeting in the country in a desperate attempt to contain the highly contagious disease.
Extra security guards were deployed to the main racetracks to prevent owners and trainers from moving their horses while police were given special powers to punish anyone caught breaching the rules.
The New Zealand government closed its borders to horses that had been in Australia, including dozens of top American, European and Asian stallions worth an estimated $500 million, who had just arrived for the southern hemisphere’s breeding season, which was due to start next week.
The nationwide shutdown was imposed within hours of confirmation that 16 horses in Sydney had tested positive to the respiratory illness more commonly known as horse flu.

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I had no idea how big the horse racing industry was. I certainly didn't know that it was big in Australia. I thought they played cricket or something.

In other news, Bird Flu:

Bird flu has spread to two more provinces in Vietnam with outbreaks of the H5N1 virus infecting about 450 birds, animal health authorities said Saturday.

Nearly 700 ducks and young chicken were culled to contain the outbreaks in northern Thai Nguyen province and the southern Mekong delta province of Dong Thap, the national animal health department said in an online report.
Vietnam has now reported recent bird flu outbreaks in four of its 64 provinces and municipalities, including northwestern Dien Bien province near the Lao border as well as Cao Bang near China.

Originally Posted by Burning Giraffe

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I had no idea how big the horse racing industry was. I certainly didn't know that it was big in Australia. I thought they played cricket or something.

In other news, Bird Flu:

Oh its very big; we have legal betting offices and everything.

West Nile virus was devastating to the horse industry also. Kentucky lost many horses to it a few years back. interestingly the virus arrived in the US in a pond on a closed naval base in NY, not near any airport or cargo distribution center... suggesting it was agri-biological terrorism. the mosquitos were foreign and capable of flying 50 miles rather than the American mosquito 1 mile radius to the nest.
the thing about the horse industry is that Arabian horses are one of the biggest businesses in the world. connect the dots.

a step farther on agri-terrorism is the honey industry, the mysterious disease that is killing bees in the US was identified as a pest from Asia. Honey happens to be one of the Middle Easts biggest industries also.

in an attempt to destroy a country or the West's economy... what would you think would be the targets?

Originally Posted by Ausinus

Oh its very big; we have legal betting offices and everything.

And the Melbourne Cup is coming up. That's why they're shitting themselves over this horse-flu thingy...

Originally Posted by Violet Crumble

And the Melbourne Cup is coming up. That's why they're shitting themselves over this horse-flu thingy...

Hey are you gonna go to Melbourne and wear a big hat?

Originally Posted by Ausinus

Hey are you gonna go to Melbourne and wear a big hat?

Urgh, I hate the Melbourne Cup. I was trying to find out today if we get a public holiday in the ACT for it, coz back in July there was something going through the Legislative Assembly to make the Tuesday a public holiday. Which means a flexday on the Monday makes a megalong weekend!