There have been calls for an inquiry about the recent hendra outbreak in Australia that has resulted in the death of five horses and one human, according to an article on news.com.au.

Veterinarian Ben Cunneen, BVSc, who was 33 years old, died Wednesday, Aug. 20. He had contracted Hendra virus from a horse hospitalized at the Redlands Veterinary Clinic on the outskirts of the city of Brisbane in the state of Queensland.

A nurse and another veterinarian also have been hospitalized. The nurse and Cunneen were confirmed positive for the virus in mid-July. Both staff members had cared for infected horses at the clinic prior to the diagnosis of Hendra, a known fatal zoonotic virus. Four horses died in this outbreak in July and another horse recovered but was euthanized as a health threat.

According to a report in the Brisbane Times, a Department of Primary Industries veterinarian, was hospitalized after pricking herself with a needle she had used to euthanize the horse that had recovered from Hendra