Qld vets charged over Hendra management

Three vets have become the first people in Queensland to be prosecuted for potentially exposing themselves and others to the deadly Hendra virus while handling horses.

Workplace Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) says Luke Annetts, Matthew Morahan and Janine Dwyer were all charged this year under a section of the Workplace Health and Safety Act which requires workers to take reasonable health and safety measures while carrying out their duties.

"To manage the risk of infection, WHSQ advises that anyone coming into contact with a horse that may be infected with Hendra virus should take precautions based on the presumption that the horse is infected, until Hendra virus can be excluded," a WHSQ spokesman said.