Hendra vet remains on life support

Three other staff members from the J4S Equine Nursery in Cawarral, northeast of Rockhampton have a wait of several weeks before they can be cleared of the virus.

Allan Reinikka

A ROCKHAMPTON vet suffering from Hendra virus remains on life support in a Brisbane hospital.

A spokesman for Princess Alexandra Hospital says veterinary surgeon Alister Rodgers remains in a critical, but stable condition after testing positive to the Hendra virus.

He was flown to Brisbane on Wednesday after developing the disease despite a course of the drug ribavirin at Rockhampton Hospital.

Three other staff members from the J4S Equine Nursery in Cawarral, northeast of Rockhampton have a wait of several weeks before they can be cleared of the virus.

Mr Rodgers continues to be monitored while biosecurity authorities await more horse test results.

The vet came into close contact with two infected horses, both of which died.

Mr Rodgers is the seventh person ever to contract the virus. Three of those have died.

On Thursday night staff from the Redlands Veterinary Clinic met to remember Brisbane vet Ben Cunneen, who died from the virus one year ago.

In the latest outbreak, 24 horses on the J4S stud are under quarantine, despite testing negative earlier this week.

A spokesman for Biosecurity Queensland said three horses have been retested after displaying high temperatures.

The results are expected to be known on Friday, he said.