The Victor Harbor Tram Authority has confirmed this morning that Isabella, the sole female Clydesdale within the horse-drawn tram team, has died after contracting Ross River Virus.
Authority General Manager Meg Whibley released the news this morning, stating that Isabella was already immunocompromised prior to the contraction, and despite the best efforts of staff, was unable to be saved.
Another Clydesdale, Elliot, fell ill as well but is now recovering and regaining fitness.
The full stable of Clydesdales were tested after staff learned of the outbreak, with all other horses showing no symptoms.
The service has been disrupted multiple times over the past week, with posts on the Facebook page apologising for the inconvenience.
The Tram Authority says the service will now operate in a limited capacity while the stable rests and recovers, with a full cancellation of services to be expected if weather is poor.
