The virus was released in every state except Tasmania last October and
November (鈥淎ustralia鈥檚 giant lab鈥�, New 杏吧原创, 22 February, p 34).
But a report released last week by John Anderson, the primary industries
minister, shows that the virus is killing rabbits at only 90 of the 350 sites
where it has been released.
There is no obvious viral activity at 184 sites, says the report, and the
situation in the remaining 76 sites is still unknown.
Peter O鈥橞rien of the Bureau of Resource Sciences in Canberra, which advises
the government, blames the disappointing results on the hot Australian summer.
He says warm weather seems to curb the spread of the virus. 鈥淭he virus will be
released again this month and we expect it will be more effective when
conditions are cooler.鈥�
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