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Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is expected soon to announce an external review of the Department of Primary Industries' handling of the Hendra virus outbreaks.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh is expected on Wednesday to announce an external review of the Department of Primary Industries' handling of the latest Hendra virus outbreaks.
Queensland has suffered two Hendra virus outbreaks in the past four months with the worst being at the Redlands Veterinary Clinic in Brisbane's bayside.
A senior vet at the clinic, Ben Cunneen, died after a month-long battle with the virus on August 20.
A nurse who also contracted the virus and a DPI vet who pricked herself while euthanasing an infected horse continue to be monitored by Queensland Health.
Five horses at the clinic either died or were put down after contracting the virus, believed to have been transmitted by bats living near the clinic.
Another three horses were put down in a separate Hendra outbreak on a north Queensland property.
A DPI spokesman said on Monday that an external consultant would review the DPI's handling of the outbreak, with an announcement to be made by the premier this week.
The Veterinary Surgeons Board of Queensland is also investigating alleged hygiene lapses at the Brisbane clinic.
Clinic owner Dr David Lovell said he had nothing to fear.
"I think the DPI have done an excellent job and I can't understand why there has to be a review," Dr Lovell said.
"Our work is subject to scrutiny all year so I have got no problems with people questioning our practice.
"I think we did well to get to it as quickly as we did because this is a first time the world has seen this type of Hendra."
Horses at the clinic displayed unusual neurological signs previously not linked to Hendra.
The quarantine on the clinic was lifted last week.
Dr Lovell said he had lost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
"Business has been decimated," he said.
Even so, Dr Lovell said he was taking the time to thoroughly clean the stables before reopening his equine clinic.
