The New South Wales (NSW), Australia, Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is celebrating the success of eradicating the largest exotic disease outbreak in Australia’s history—equine influenza (EI)—which was discovered in NSW 10 years ago.

Bruce Christie, BVSc, DPI deputy director general of biosecurity and food safety, said the DPI was the lead agency in NSW’s equine influenza eradication campaign, which at its peak infected 47,000 horses on 5,943 properties in NSW.

“It is 10 years since equine influenza was first detected in NSW and then Queensland, and while we are celebrating our success, DPI continues to ensure NSW retains its tough biosecurity measures,” Christie said.

“Australia did what other countries couldn’t do—eradicate this disease,” he continued. “It still remains endemic in Europe, except for Iceland, (and) North and South America. The campaign in NSW was led by DPI and it was the largest of its type ever undertaken in Australia, using the latest laboratory, vaccine, surveillance, mapping, and communication technologies