Bats must be moved to protect residents from the deadly Hendra virus.

[Kelly]

Saw this in the news and thought i would share it here.

Why are the bats in Chaters Towers not being moved on?

Deadly Hendra virus, is this not reason enough.

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YEPPOON: Bats must be moved from Yeppoon to protect residents from the deadly Hendra virus.

That was the controversial call yesterday from LNP Shadow Health Minister Mark McArdle.

"Bats that live in or close to communities pose a serious risk to horses and human beings particularly as they carry and transmit the Hendra virus," Mr McArdle said.

"There is no option but to move them from areas such as Yeppoon and Charters Towers, as well as other populated areas."

When asked how the bats could be moved Mr McArdle said that was a job for the experts. "Let's get the experts on board and move them."

He said with human beings at risk, we needed to ask how many more people have got to die before something was done.

"Let's get on with the decision and get rid of the bat."

Rockhampton Regional Council stood by the decision to leave the bats alone.

A spokesperson said: "With no evidence to suggest that it should take a different view regarding the bat colony located at the Capricorn Coast, Rockhampton Regional Council will not change its current stance on the issue."

"Council remains satisfied that the colony poses no threat or danger to the community and encourages residents and visitors to examine the facts and to remain calm."

Val Dworzac, bat carer in Yeppoon, said Mr McArdle was speaking out of ignorance and needed to find out the facts.

"People just have to be sensible about these things," Mrs Dworzac said.

- Sharyn O'Neill

SOURCE: Rockhampton Morning Bulletin (http://www.themorningbulletin.com.au/story/2009/08/27/mcardle-says-bats-will-just-have-to-move-off/)

[Kelly]

A central Queensland vet has died from Hendra virus in a Brisbane hospital.

Dr Alister Rodgers contracted the virus while treating sick horses at a property at Cawarral, east of Rockhampton, last month.

He and three property workers had a trial of anti-viral drugs in Rockhampton, but he became seriously ill and was flown to Brisbane.

It is believed Dr Rodgers first came into contact with the virus when he inspected a dead horse which he originally thought had died from a snake bite.

The horse was later found to have had Hendra virus.

Just over a year ago Brisbane vet Ben Cunneen died from Hendra virus after contracting the disease from an infected horse at the Redlands Veterinary Clinic.

Dr Cunneen, 33, was the third person ever to die from Hendra.

He had spent five weeks in hospital before his family made the decision to turn off his life support system. Five horses at the Redlands clinic also died during the outbreak.

There is no known cure for the virus, which has never been reported in humans outside Queensland.

Four out of seven people who have contracted the disease since the first outbreak in 1994 have died.

SOURCE: ABC Online (http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/09/02/2673976.htm)

[Kelly]

A Brisbane based research body which has been studying Hendra virus has been stripped of its federal funding despite the disease claiming four lives.

The Australian Biosecurity Co operative Research Centre for Emerging Infectious Disease had asked for $42 million in funding over six years but was knocked back by the Federal Government's Innovation Department. It will close next year.

A decision to cease the centre's funding was announced on August 7, just three days before a horse on a property at Cawarral, near Rockhampton, tested positive to Hendra, triggering the latest outbreak of the virus.

The centre's chief executive Stephen Prowse said researchers had been studying interactions between flying foxes and horses to work out how horses contract the virus from bats.

"Unless there's alternative funding sources, the work will slow or stop," Professor Prowse said.

The centre was launched in 2003 by then science minister Peter McGauran to develop new capabilities to detect, assess and respond to emerging infectious disease threats of animals and humans.

But Prof Prowse said a proposal for re funding the centre until 2016 had been judged "to be not competitive".

"The proposal was much bigger than just Hendra virus. It covered other things," he said. "In terms of research, it's not a huge amount of money. Clearly, it's very disappointing. It would be very unfortunate if the work that we've done isn't able to be sustained."

Queensland Opposition health spokesman Mark McArdle described the decision as "a recipe for disaster".

Australian Veterinary Association president Mark Lawrie called on the Federal Government to reconsider funding, given the latest Hendra outbreak had killed vet Alister Rodgers, 55.

Federal Innovation Minister Kim Carr said the decision to end the centre's funding was made by an independent, expert panel. He said the CSIRO would still research Hendra when the centre closed.

"CSIRO estimates that its total annual expenditure on research into bat borne diseases, including Hendra, is approximately $2 million per annum," Senator Carr said.

"The Government recognises there is still much to learn about the Hendra virus. That is why the Australian Government, continues to invest heavily in research on the mitigation of new and emerging diseases, including the Hendra virus."

A service will be held for Dr Rodgers at St Paul's Anglican Cathedral in Rockhampton on Thursday, 10.30am.
SOURCE: Couriermail (http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,23739,26040455-3102,00.html)