Three new cases of hendra virus were confirmed last night (Aug. 17) in New South Wales, Australia, bringing the state’s total of confirmed cases to nine, according to a press release from the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries. The newly confirmed cases bring the national total to 19 since June, marking Australia’s deadliest hendra virus season on record since the virus was discovered in 1994.

"Two horses have died on a South Ballina property, and one horse has died on a Mullumbimby property," New South Wales Chief Veterinary Officer Ian Roth said in the press release. "The dead horses on the South Ballina property were reported by a neighbor and sampled by a … district vet. The horse on the Mullumbimby property was reportedly behaving oddly and died suddenly. A private veterinarian took blood and swab samples from the dead horse (that later confirmed the horse was infected with the virus)."

Roth noted in the release that both properties are currently under quarantine and movement restrictions have been placed on all other resident horses.

The three newly confirmed cases come on the tail of another horse testing positive for the virus on Tuesday (Aug. 16)