By day five, the rabbit's eyes have begun to swell, as have other sensitive areas such as its genitals and anus. Over the next three days, the infection becomes widespread and the tumour-like bumps appear over several places of the body. A rabbit infected with the most virulent strain of myxomatosis is usually dead by the tenth day. If, however, the strain is not so lethal, or the rabbit has some immunity, it can live for three weeks. By this time, though, the eyes are closed, the ears hang pendulously, tumours cover the body, the animal's breathing is labored and pus pours from the nose.
Death soon follows.
Nothing can now be done to remove the virus from the environment - it will continue to be carried by wild rabbits. However, it is completely unacceptable that authorities are still supporting the spread of this dreadful disease, for example, by the release of the Spanish flea. New Zealand, unlike Australia, rejected the introduction of myxomatosis. No-one knows why it suddenly became a problem in 1984. It is possible that the virus mutated into a stronger form, or that it jumped from another species.