Australia - Highly pathogenic avian influenza strains H7N8, H7N3, H7N9 - May 22, 2024+

[Pathfinder]

Avian influenza detected at an additional poultry property


4 June 2024

Agriculture Victoria is responding to the detection of avian influenza at an additional Victorian poultry farm near Meredith.

This property is located within the current 5 km Restricted Area in the Golden Plains Shire.

Agriculture Victoria placed the property in quarantine as a precaution while further samples were collected and sent for testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong and AgriBio at La Trobe University in Bundoora.

Tests have now confirmed the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain of the avian influenza virus at the property.

Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer Graeme Cooke said Agriculture Victoria staff are supporting the property owner and are working closely with industry to reduce the risk of spread.

‘The detection of avian influenza at this additional property is not unexpected and is the result of ongoing surveillance activities within the Restricted and Control Areas.

‘Bird owners who reside in the Restricted and Control Areas are reminded to follow the restrictions and report any unexplained deaths.’ Dr Cooke said.

Existing movement controls remain in place in designated areas near Meredith and Terang. These are:

• a Restricted Area covering a 5 km radius around the Meredith properties, with a broader Control Area buffer zone in the eastern part of Golden Plains Shire Council. The western boundary of this area is the Colac-Ballarat Road.
• a Restricted Area covering a 5 km radius around the Terang farm with a broader Control Area buffer zone covering a 15 km radius.
• a housing requirement for all birds within these areas.

Within the Restricted and Control areas, permits are required for the movement of birds, poultry products, feed and equipment on or off properties.

‘Regardless of whether you are a commercial producer, or you keep a few chickens in your backyard, there are things you must do to protect your birds from disease,’ he said.

All bird owners across Victoria are reminded to follow best biosecurity practice such as keeping poultry sheds, yards, aviaries and equipment clean, and restricting contact between your poultry and wild birds.

Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry products from the supermarkets, they do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.

Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

More information, including movement permits are available online at agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza.

Media contact: SBOC.PublicInformation@agriculture.vic.gov.au

https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/about/media-centre/media-releases/2024-releases/avian-influenza-detected-at-an-additional-poultry-property

[Michael Coston]

Australia: 4th Victoria Poultry Farm Hit With HPAI H7N3






#18,102

Roughly 2 weeks ago Agriculture Victoria announced Two Outbreaks of H7N3 In Victoria, on farms located roughly 70 miles apart (Meredith and Terang). Yesterday a 3rd farm (in Meredith) was announced as infected, and today a 4th farm (also in Meredith) has been added.

While their agricultural website has been somewhat parsimonious with the details, media sources suggest the number of birds culled is approaching 600,000.

Although H7N3 isn't considered as serious of a public health threat as H5N1, H7 human infections have occurred in the past. With the notable exception of H7N9 in China, most have been mild.


Today's update follows, after which I'll have a bit more on Australia's lack of H5N1.

Current situation

Last updated 05 Jun 2024 2:50pm

We are responding to the detection of avian influenza at 4 Victorian poultry farms.

Three infected properties near Meredith are confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain of avian influenza, and the infected property near Terang is confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N9 strain.

Three of the infected properties are located in the Restricted and Control Areas in Meredith and Lethbridge, in the Golden Plains Shire and one is in the Corangamite Shire where movement restrictions were already in place.

All properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely disposed of. The sites will be cleaned and cleared of the infection

Housing requirement

We have issued movement controls that include a housing requirement for all birds within the Restricted Areas and Control Areas in Meredith and Terang.

Under the housing requirement all poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners must house or keep their birds enclosed in cages or sheds as much as practical.

Agriculture Victoria staff are on the ground supporting the businesses and working closely with industry to contain and eradicate the virus. Contact tracing is also underway to determine the source and spread of the infection.

Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).

Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

While cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are possible, the current risk to the public remains low. Find out more about avian influenza in humans from the BetterHealth Channel.

Movement controls

Movement controls are now in place to prevent any spread of avian influenza.

This includes:

• a Restricted Area that covers the impacted Meredith and Lethbridge properties and a broader Control Area buffer zone, which is bound by Bacchus Marsh Road in the east and the Colac–Ballarat Road on the western boundary are in place.
• a Restricted Area covering a 5 km radius around the Terang farm with a broader Control Area buffer zone covering a 15 km radius
• a housing requirement for all birds within these areas.

The movement controls require permits for the movement of birds, poultry products, feed and equipment on or off the properties in these areas. Penalties apply for those who do not follow these restrictions.

Examples of products that can't be moved without a permit include eggs, poultry feed, drinking water and bedding.

Unlike the rest of the world, Australia, NZ, and Oceania have been spared any impact from HPAI H5N1, despite lying beneath both the West Pacific and East Asian–Australasian Flyway (see map below).




This good fortune has often been attributed to the Wallace and Weber lines; imaginary dividing lines used to mark the difference between animal species found in Australia and Papua New Guinea and the rest of Southeast Asia (see 2008 study Will Wallace’s Line Save Australia from Avian Influenza?).


On the western side you'll find Elephants, monkeys, leopards, tigers, and water buffalo while on the eastern side, you'll mostly find marsupials (kangaroos, Koalas, wombats, etc.).

These stark faunal differences also extend to birds, reptiles, and even insects.

Importantly for avian flu, very few migratory birds appear to cross the Wallace line (see The Australo-Papuan bird migration system: another consequence of Wallace's Line).

But the introduction of H5N1 to Antarctica provides the virus with a potential southern route that could circumvent the Wallace and Weber lines.

Last December OFFLU warned:

Given movement data demonstrating connectivity between the polar front to both the Antarctic and Subantarctic islands of Oceania, and Oceania itself, it is plausible that if HPAI H5 were present in the Antarctic region directly south of Oceania, it could be introduced to Oceania.

Credit OFFLU

While the that avenue may currently seem like a long-shot, HPAI H5's global field experiment continues, and there appears to be little we can do to stop it.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/...-farm-hit.html

[Treyfish]

Fifth Victorian chicken farm detects bird flu


Melissa Meehan
Jun 07, 2024, updated Jun 07, 2024


A fifth Victorian poultry farm has been plunged into lockdown after its chickens became infected with avian influenza.

Tests confirmed the highly pathogenic H7N3 strain of bird flu had been detected on the Meredith farm in Victoria’s south-west, Agriculture Victoria said on Friday….


https://www.thenewdaily.com.au/life/...-farm-bird-flu

[Michael Coston]

Australia: 5th Victorian Farm Struck With H7 Avian Influenza


Victoria : Credit Wikipedia


#18,108

Although Australia has yet to deal with HPAI H5, they are wrestling with 4 outbreaks of avian H7N3 and 1 outbreak of H7N9 on poultry farms in Victoria.

While the updates from Agriculture Victoria have been timely, they have been relatively devoid of details. Local media however, has reported in excess of 600,000 heads of poultry culled.

Like everywhere in the world, LPAI viruses circulate in Australian birds. Most are considered innocuous to poultry and humans, but when an H5 or H7 LPAI virus spreads among poultry it can sometimes spontaneously mutate into an HPAI strain.



While often these HPAI outbreaks are limited to a single farm, the virus can be inadvertently spread by moving birds, eggs, feed, equipment or personnel between farms. Less commonly, it may be picked up and carried to other farms by local or migratory birds.

At this point, it isn't clear how this H7N3 virus has spread to 4 farms in Meredith.

In addition to today's update from Agriculture Victoria, we have WAHIS reports providing additional details. First, today's update:

Current situation


Last updated 07 June 2024 10:10am

We are responding to the detection of avian influenza at 5 Victorian poultry farms.

Four infected properties near Meredith are confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain of avian influenza, and the infected property near Terang is confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N9 strain.

Four of the infected properties are located in the Restricted and Control Areas in Meredith and Lethbridge, in the Golden Plains Shire and one is in the Corangamite Shire where movement restrictions were already in place.

All properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely disposed of. The sites will be cleaned and cleared of the infection.

The latest detection is not unexpected. It shows that Agriculture Victoria’s reasonable and risk-based Restricted and Control Areas and comprehensive and ongoing surveillance activities are working as they should to pick up spread of the disease.

Housing requirement

We have issued movement controls that include a housing requirement for all birds within the Restricted Areas and Control Areas in Meredith, Lethbridge and Terang.

Under the housing requirement all poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners must house or keep their birds enclosed in cages or sheds as much as practical.

Agriculture Victoria staff are on the ground supporting the businesses and working closely with industry to contain and eradicate the virus. Contact tracing is also underway to determine the source and spread of the infection.

Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).

Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

While cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are possible, the current risk to the public remains low. Find out more about avian influenza in humans from the BetterHealth Channel.

Compensation in an Emergency Animal Disease outbreak

In the event of a declared Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) outbreak, financial compensation will be available to livestock owners and business that experience livestock or property losses as a direct result of the disease.

Personal wellbeing

Stressful events can cause feelings of worry and unease, especially where there are levels of uncertainty involved, but there are things you can do to take care of yourself.

The outlier here is the H7N9 outbreak on a single farm in Terang, which so far appears to be contained. This is the first occurrence of HPAI H7N9 in Australia, although LPAI H7N9 exists in local birds (note: this strain is not the same as the Chinese H7N9 virus that killed hundreds of people during the last decade).

The WAHIS Report cites:

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS

This is a confirmed case of H7N9 HPAI in a mixed free-ranged and caged commercial egg layer poultry farm. The farm has a commercial link, through management needs only, with another farm that is infected with H7N3 HPAI (confirmed on 22 May 2024:EVENT ID 5683). H7N9 virus is genetically related to strains detected in wild birds in Australia. Biosecurity controls have been implemented on the farm. A detailed surveillance plan is being implemented and epidemiological investigation and tracing is underway. Operational activities commenced immediately. A Control Area (CA) and Restricted Area (RA) have been declared around the premises. Movement controls have been implemented in the CA and RA. A requirement to house free-range birds where possible has been put in place across the CA and RA. All domestic birds at IP1 - TERANG have been killed and disposed of. Data is current as of 5 June 2024. A public information strategy has been employed. All coordinates provided are approximate to the nearest town location.

The WAHIS Report on the H7N3 outbreaks does not include the 4th farm, reported today. Unlike HPAI H7N9, which had never been reported before in Australia, at least two outbreaks of H7N3 (one in Victoria, the other in Queensland) were reported in the early 1990s.

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS

This is a confirmed case of H7N3 HPAI in commercial egg layer poultry farms. The H7N3 virus is genetically related to strains detected in wild birds in Australia. Biosecurity controls have been implemented on the farm. A detailed surveillance plan is being implemented and epidemiological investigation and tracing is underway. Operational activities commenced immediately. A Control Area (CA) and Restricted Area (RA) have been declared around the premises. Movement controls have been implemented in the CA and RA. A requirement to house free-range birds where possible has been put in place across the CA and RA. All domestic birds at IP1 - MEREDITH have been killed and disposed of. A public information strategy has been employed. All coordinates provided are approximate to the nearest town location. Data is current as of 5 June 2024.

With the exception of China's H7N9 epidemic, human infections with H7 viruses have been generally mild (with a few notable exceptions). They can be, however, very destructive and difficult to eradicate in poultry.

They are not without pandemic concerns, as discussed 11 years ago in mBio: An H7N9 Perspective by Morens, Fauci & Taubenberger.

A reminder that whatever victories we may have against emerging viruses, nature has nearly unlimited resources, a surfeit of time, and always bats last.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/...rm-struck.html

[Lance]

Australia - High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (poultry) (Inf. with) - Follow up report 2


GENERAL INFORMATION

COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
ZONE

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
Listed disease

EVENT ID
5683

DISEASE
High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (poultry) (Inf. with)

CAUSAL AGENT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

GENOTYPE / SEROTYPE / SUBTYPE
H7N3

START DATE
2024/05/17

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
New strain in a zone or a compartment

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE- CONFIRMATION DATE
2024/05/20

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE- SELF-DECLARATION

NO REPORT INFORMATION

REPORT NUMBER
Follow-up report 2

REPORT ID
FUR_167675

REPORT REFERENCE- REPORT DATE
2024/06/07

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT

EPIDEMIOLOGY

SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION

• Unknown or inconclusive

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
This is a confirmed case of H7N3 HPAI in commercial egg layer poultry farms. The H7N3 virus is genetically related to strains detected in wild birds in Australia. Biosecurity controls have been implemented on the farm. A detailed surveillance plan is being implemented and epidemiological investigation and tracing is underway. Operational activities commenced immediately. A Control Area (CA) and Restricted Area (RA) have been declared around the premises. Movement controls have been implemented in the CA and RA. A requirement to house free-range birds where possible has been put in place across the CA and RA. All domestic birds at IP1 - MEREDITH have been killed and disposed of. A public information strategy has been employed. All coordinates provided are approximate to the nearest town location. Data is current as of 5 June 2024.

QUANTITATIVE DATA SUMMARY

MEASURING UNIT
Animal

SpeciesSusceptibleCasesDeathsKilled and Disposed ofSlaughtered/ Killed for commercial useVaccinated Birds (DOMESTIC)NEW45712115310089642--TOTAL87012176533100396942--

DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS

CLINICAL SIGNS
YES

METHOD OF DIAGNOSTIC
Diagnostic test

Gene sequencing	Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness	Birds	3	2024/05/21	2024/06/05	Positive

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5683

[Treyfish]

Ducks culled as flu hits sixth Victorian farm

By Holly Hales
Updated June 13 2024 - 5:55AM, first published 5:51AM

Bird flu has been detected at a sixth Victorian farm which was already in quarantine.

The case of Avian influenza (H7N3) was confirmed at a property in the Golden Plains Shire, 200km southwest of Melbourne, Agriculture Victoria said on Thursday.

All ducks at the property will be culled under veterinary supervision, with the site cleaned and cleared of the infection.

The duck farm, which is in the current Restricted Area, produces commercial eggs and meat…..

https://www.canberratimes.com.au/sto...farm/?cs=14231

[Pathfinder]

Agriculture Victoria
Yesterday at 1: 19 AM

Avian influenza virus has been confirmed at a sixth Victorian farm.

Tests have confirmed the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain at a commercial duck farm which is located within the current Restricted Area in the Golden Plains Shire.

This detection is why our risk-based Restricted and Control Areas are in place and shows that our comprehensive and ongoing surveillance activities are working.

Cooked eggs and poultry meat products are safe to consume.

All bird owners are urged to report any unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.
For more information, including the expanded Control and Restricted Areas and to apply for a movement permit, visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/avianinfluenza




https://www.facebook.com/agriculturevictoria/posts/pfbid02tHpVsaMhsrwsTMmLKtMzyP6rZXhs5G9PwHHgzsZ5hLh cWykTZ1aLWHzHhLfdxMNsl

-------------------------------------

Avian influenza (bird flu)
...
Current situation

Last updated 5pm 13 June 2024

We are responding to the detection of avian influenza at 6 Victorian poultry farms.

Five infected properties near Meredith are confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N3 strain of avian influenza, and the infected property near Terang is confirmed to have the high pathogenicity H7N9 strain.

Five of the infected properties are located in the Restricted and Control Areas in Meredith and Lethbridge, in the Golden Plains Shire and one is in the Corangamite Shire where movement restrictions were already in place.

All properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely disposed of. The sites will be cleaned and cleared of the infection.

The latest detection on a commercial duck farm is not unexpected. It shows that Agriculture Victoria’s reasonable and risk-based Restricted and Control Areas and comprehensive and ongoing surveillance activities are working as they should to pick up spread of the disease.

Food safety

Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and duck meat products. , They do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.

Victoria has a secure supply chain including the importation of eggs from interstate so the current outbreak has not significantly affected supplies.

Housing requirement

We have issued movement controls that include a housing requirement for all birds within the Restricted Areas and Control Areas in Meredith, Lethbridge and Terang.

Under the housing requirement all poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners must house or keep their birds enclosed in cages or sheds as much as practical.

Agriculture Victoria staff are on the ground supporting the businesses and working closely with industry to contain and eradicate the virus. Contact tracing is also underway to determine the source and spread of the infection.

Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).

Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

While cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are possible, the current risk to the public remains low. Find out more about avian influenza in humans from the BetterHealth Channel.

Compensation in an Emergency Animal Disease outbreak

In the event of a declared Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) outbreak, financial compensation will be available to livestock owners and business that experience livestock or property losses as a direct result of the disease.

Personal wellbeing

Stressful events can cause feelings of worry and unease, especially where there are levels of uncertainty involved, but there are things you can do to take care of yourself.

...

https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/animal-diseases/poultry-diseases/avian-influenza-bird-flu

[Treyfish]

Bird flu spreads to seventh Australian poultry farm


UPDATED

JUN 17, 2024, 12:37 PM
FacebookTelegram
CANBERRA - Highly pathogenic avian influenza has spread to a seventh poultry farm near Melbourne, the government of Australia's Victoria state said on Monday.

Six of the properties have an H7N3 flu strain and a seventh has an H7N9 strain, it said. Neither is the H5N1 type of avian flu that has infected billions of wild and farmed animals globally and raised fears of human transmission.

"Restricted and control areas are in place surrounding all infected premises," Victoria's agriculture department said in a statement.
. …

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/bird-flu-spreads-to-seventh-australian-poultry-farm

[Michael Coston]

Australia: 7th Victorian Farm Struck With H7 Avian Influenza


Victoria : Credit Wikipedia

#18,130

While Australia has been spared dealing with HPAI H5N1, they are wrestling with 7 outbreaks of avian H7 (1 H7N9 & 6 H7N3) outbreaks on poultry farms in Victoria. Media reports suggest in excess of 1 million chickens and ducks have been lost to the virus and culling, although no human infections have been reported.

Like everywhere else in the world, LPAI viruses circulate in Australian birds. Most are considered innocuous to poultry and humans, but when an H5 or H7 LPAI virus spreads among poultry it can sometimes spontaneously mutate into an HPAI strain.



While often these HPAI outbreaks are limited to a single farm, the virus can be inadvertently spread by moving birds, eggs, feed, equipment or personnel between farms. Less commonly, it may be picked up and carried to other farms by local or migratory birds.

First today's update from Agriculture Victoria on what has quickly become Australia's largest avian flu outbreak, after which I'll have a bit more on the history of H7 viruses.

Current situation

Last updated 9 am 17 June 2024

Agriculture Victoria is responding to the detection of avian influenza at 7 Victorian poultry farms. Avian influenza is a viral disease of birds found globally. Virus strains are described as low pathogenicity (LPAI) or high pathogenicity (HPAI).

Six infected properties near Meredith are confirmed to have a high pathogenicity H7N3 strain of avian influenza, and one infected property near Terang is confirmed to have a high pathogenicity H7N9 strain. A comprehensive surveillance program has been in place in the restricted and control areas in order to detect the presence of such viruses.

Restricted and control areas are in place surrounding all infected premises, within both the Golden Plains and Corangamite shires.

All properties have been placed in quarantine and all poultry will be safely and humanely disposed of. The sites will be cleaned and cleared of the infection.

Agriculture Victoria staff are on the ground supporting the affected properties and working closely with poultry owners and industry to contain and eradicate the virus. Tracing is also underway to determine the source and spread of the infection.

Housing requirement

Agriculture Victoria has issued movement controls that include a housing requirement for all birds within the restricted and control areas in Meredith/Lethbridge and Terang.

Under the housing requirement all poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners must house or keep their birds enclosed in cages or sheds.

Poultry farmers, backyard flock and bird owners are urged to report any cases of unexplained bird deaths to the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226.

Food safety

Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and duck meat products. They do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.

Victoria has a secure supply chain, including the importation of eggs from interstate, so the current outbreak has not significantly affected supplies.

Human health

While cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are possible, the current risk to the public remains extremely low. Find out more about avian influenza in humans from the BetterHealth Channel.

Compensation in an Emergency Animal Disease outbreak

In the event of a declared Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) outbreak, financial compensation will be available to livestock owners and business that experience livestock or property losses as a direct result of the disease.

Personal wellbeing

Stressful events can cause feelings of worry and unease, especially where there are levels of uncertainty involved, but there are things you can do to take care of yourself.

H7 outbreaks (both LPAI & HPAI) are generally regarded as less serious than HPAI H5 - although the 5 year reign of H7N9 in China (2013-2018) showed us what an H7 virus was capable of; infecting more than 1,500 people and killing roughly 40% of them.

H7N9 Epidemic Waves - June 14th 2017 - Credit FAO

China's H7N9 was admittedly an outlier, as most human infections with H7 produce only mild illness. A few examples include:

• In 2018 a woman in Jiangsu Province, China was seriously infected by an H7N4 virus (see WHO Update & Risk Assessment On Avian H7N4), spending 21 days in the hospital
• NYC's 016 dramatic H7N2 outbreak in cats, and spillover into animal shelter workers (see J Infect Dis: Serological Evidence Of H7N2 Infection Among Animal Shelter Workers, NYC 2016)
• 3 mild cases of LPAI H7N7 in Italy in 2013 (see ECDC Update & Assessment: Human Infection By Avian H7N7 In Italy).
• In 2006 1 person in the UK was confirmed to have contracted H7N3, and the following year, 4 people tested positive for H7N2 – both following local outbreaks in poultry.
• The Fraser Valley H7N3 outbreak of 2004 resulted in at least two human infections, as reported in this EID Journal report: Human Illness from Avian Influenza H7N3, British Columbia.
• And in 2003 a large outbreak of H7N7 (89 confirmed, 1 fatality) in the Netherlands – with nearly all reported cases having very mild (often just conjunctivitis) symptoms.

While H7 viruses remain primarily a concern for poultry producers, their track record in humans is not entirely benign, and we need to control them before they can evolve into a bigger problem.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2024/06/australia-7th-victorian-farm-struck.html

[Lance]

Australia - High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (poultry) (Inf. with) - Follow up report 3


GENERAL INFORMATION

COUNTRY/TERRITORY OR ZONE
ZONE

ANIMAL TYPE
TERRESTRIAL

DISEASE CATEGORY
Listed disease

EVENT ID
5683

DISEASE
High pathogenicity avian influenza viruses (poultry) (Inf. with)

CAUSAL AGENT
Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus

GENOTYPE / SEROTYPE / SUBTYPE
H7N3

START DATE
2024/05/17

REASON FOR NOTIFICATION
New strain in a zone or a compartment

DATE OF LAST OCCURRENCE- CONFIRMATION DATE
2024/05/22

EVENT STATUS
On-going

END DATE- SELF-DECLARATION

NO REPORT INFORMATION

REPORT NUMBER
Follow-up report 3

REPORT ID
FUR_167803

REPORT REFERENCE- REPORT DATE
2024/06/17

REPORT STATUS
Validated

NO EVOLUTION REPORT

EPIDEMIOLOGY

SOURCE OF EVENT OR ORIGIN OF INFECTION

• Unknown or inconclusive

EPIDEMIOLOGICAL COMMENTS
This is a confirmed case of H7N3 HPAI in commercial egg layer poultry farms. The H7N3 virus is genetically related to strains detected in wild birds in Australia. Biosecurity controls have been implemented on the farm. A detailed surveillance plan is being implemented and epidemiological investigation and tracing is underway. Operational activities commenced immediately. A Control Area (CA) and Restricted Area (RA) have been declared around the premises. Movement controls have been implemented in the CA and RA. A requirement to house free-range birds where possible has been put in place across the CA and RA. All domestic birds at IP1 - MEREDITH, IP3 - MEREDITH, and IP4 - LETHBRIDGE have been killed and disposed of. The number of susceptible birds at IP1 - MEREDITH had been estimated and is now revised to an exact figure. A public information strategy has been employed. All coordinates provided are approximate to the nearest town location. Data is current as of 12 June 2024.

QUANTITATIVE DATA SUMMARY

MEASURING UNIT
Animal

SpeciesSusceptibleCasesDeathsKilled and Disposed ofSlaughtered/ Killed for commercial useVaccinated Birds (DOMESTIC)NEW43839439395260105--TOTAL90090280923495657047--

DIAGNOSTIC DETAILS

CLINICAL SIGNS
YES

METHOD OF DIAGNOSTIC
Diagnostic test

Gene sequencing	Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness	Birds	3	2024/05/20	2024/06/06	Positive

https://wahis.woah.org/#/in-review/5683

[Treyfish]

More than one million birds to be destroyed as bird flu is detected at a seventh Victorian farm

ABC Rural
/ By Jane McNaughton and Warwick Long
Posted 1h ago

….
In short: More than one million birds will be killed in Victoria to stop the spread of bird flu, as poultry farmers continue to fight Australia's largest outbreak of the disease

• The current outbreak has affected seven poultry farms that house egg-laying chickens and ducks for meat production.
• What's next? Investigations are continuing into the source of the outbreak, with the disease currently believed to have spread from wild birds to domestic poultry.

Australia's largest outbreak of bird flu has hit a grim milestone, with Victorian authorities confirming more than one million birds will be killed to try and prevent the spread of the virus.

Seven farms across south-west Victoria have now been found with highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza, affecting hundreds of thousands of farmed birds.

The outbreak began on an egg farm near Meredith in May, and has continued….


https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/20...lled/103991340

[Treyfish]

Bird flu detected on New South Wales poultry farm as Victoria continues to battle its own outbreak

ABC Rural
/ By Lara Webster
Posted 1h ago1 hours ago, updated 13m ago

• short: The bird flu strain detected in the Greater Sydney Basin is different to the strain detected in Victoria in recent weeks.
• It is understood the NSW detection has come from wild birds.
• What's next? Eggs Australia hopes the early detection and quarantine will help prevent further spread.

A New South Wales poultry farm is under quarantine following a detection of bird flu.

The New South Wales Department of Primary Industries has confirmed an outbreak of HPAI H7N8 strain of avian influenza in the Greater Sydney Basin.

The virus was detected on the egg farm in the Hawkesbury district and was confirmed by testing by the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness on Wednesday.

The HPAI H7N8 strain is not the same as the H5N1 strain that is causing concern globally.

It is also not connected to the Victorian outbreak of the of the H7N3 and H7N9 strains.
Separate event

Australian Eggs managing director Rowan McMonnies said birds on the farm would be euthanased.

"I don't have the precise number, but I do know that it was a fairly large farm. I think there were more than 100,000 birds involved," he said.

"So it's very significant blow obviously to the farm involved, but then also on the industry at large."

In a statement, NSW Agriculture Minster Tara Moriarty said the the detection was understood be a "separate spill-over event", potentially from wild birds…..

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-06-...farm/103997490

[Treyfish]

Bird flu detected in poultry farm near Sydney
The H7N8 flu strain found is different from the H7N3 and H7N9 strains detected in neighbouring Victoria state. PHOTO: REUTERS
UPDATED

JUN 19, 2024, 02:30 PM
FacebookTelegram
SYDNEY - Highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected at a commercial poultry egg farm near Sydney, Australian authorities said on June 19, triggering emergency quarantine measures.

The H7N8 flu strain found is different from the H7N3 and H7N9 strains detected in neighbouring Victoria state, and the H5N1 strain, which has infected billions of wild and farmed animals globally and raised fears of human transmission.

“It is understood at this point to be a separate spillover event, potentially from wild birds,” New South Wales state Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said in a statement. ….

https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/australianz/bird-flu-detected-in-poultry-farm-near-sydney

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Bird flu detected at commercial egg farm in Sydney's Hawkesbury


By Lara Pearce • Senior Producer
3:34pm Jun 19, 2024

Bird flu has been detected at a commercial egg farm in Sydney's Hawkesbury region.
The property has been put into an immediate biosecurity lockdown after the disease was confirmed today, the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has said.
Bird flu, or avian influenza, is a highly contagious viral disease primarily affecting birds and has a high mortality rate.…

https://www.9news.com.au/national/bird-flu-outbreak-on-nsw-egg-farm-in-hawkesbury/4588e2f1-b0a2-4bdb-a400-1ad165cac499

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Experts struggle to crack mystery new bird-flu outbreak

Cassandra Morgan, Alex Mitchell and Samantha Lock
June 19, 2024

Australia’s bird-flu outbreak has worsened, stumping experts after another strain of the disease was detected on a NSW egg farm following its discovery on multiple properties in Victoria.

Avian influenza has been picked up in the Hawkesbury district, north of Sydney, although the strain was different to the one detected in the southern state, the NSW government confirmed on Wednesday.

More than one million chickens and ducks will die in Victoria in an effort to minimise the destruction caused by multiple outbreaks.

Highly pathogenic strain H7N3 was found at a seventh Victorian farm – already in quarantine – in the Golden Plains Shire in the state’s central west, Agriculture Victoria revealed during the week.
The H7N8 strain found in NSW was believed to be a “spill-over” event, possibly from wild birds.

Michael Ward, Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety chair at the University of Sydney, said he was not shocked by another outbreak but was surprised at its location.

“It’s a bit of a mystery,” he told AAP.

“But we’re pretty sure it’s linked to wild birds.”

Professor Ward said “spill-overs” could occur when wild birds….


https://www.aap.com.au/news/experts-...-flu-outbreak/