A mystery virus started killing horses. Then humans. Was this the moment our coronavirus era began?
In the 1990s, scientists in Australia began searching for the origins of a new disease showing up in places hundreds of kilometres apart. They discovered the origin: bats. And found a way to reduce the risk of bat disease spillovers The virus could have appeared in many places on the east coast, but it is a strange coincidence, in the light of later scientific discoveries, that it first became…
In the 1990s, scientists in Australia began investigating a new disease that was emerging in locations hundreds of kilometres apart. Their research led them to bats as the origin of the virus. In an effort to reduce the risk of bat disease spillovers, they discovered a method. The virus could have made its appearance in various places along the eastern coast, but it is curious to note that it was first recognized in Brisbane's Hendra suburb.
The high school in the area is called Aviation High, and the streets are lined with the international airport and aerospace facilities to the east. At present, Hendra is a thriving suburb located just off the M1 highway, but during much of the 20th century, the picturesque rows of houses enjoyed a rural setting on the outskirts of the city.
The establishment of Eagle Farm Racecourse contributed to Hendra's transformation into the premier horse-racing center of southeast Queensland. It was a common sight to see horse floats parked outside homes and trainers walking their horses down the streets before dawn. Over time, the spacious pastures were filled with thoroughbreds trained for the racetracks.
In one of these pastures, in September 1994, a heavily pregnant bay mare named Drama Series fell ill. She was promptly transferred to a nursing stable, where she succumbed to an unknown condition.
Written by urgent.news from Guardian Health's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
