Horse Dies from Hendra Virus Near Beaudesert, Qld

"A horse that has died near Beaudesert has tested positive for hendra virus," he said. "Queensland Health will be out in the community there at Kerry [and] at the farm talking to locals, talking to people at the farm site.  At this stage we only know of one horse and that horse is deceased as a result of hendra virus and that is a positive result."

Mr Lucas says it is too early to say how many people may have come into contact with the horse. "The first priority will be getting out there and talking to people on the farm and surrounding neighbours," he said.

"The tests only came through in relation to the testing of the hendra virus but it is something we will be treating seriously.

"The risk in the community from hendra virus is very, very low but you know in the past those people who have contracted it, it becomes an extremely serious matter."

The virus was first detected in September 1994 at a property in the Brisbane suburb of Hendra and since then, there have been 14 outbreaks of the virus.

Four of the seven people ever diagnosed with the virus have died.  There is no known cure for the virus, which has never been reported in humans outside Queensland.

The CSIRO is currently developing a Hendra virus vaccine for horses which has had early success, however, the virus is considered too aggressive to be treated in horses once they have contracted it.