Bird Flu Found in Backyard Chickens in Australia

Blue australorp chicken. (Ton Bangkeaw/Shutterstock)

Bird flu has been discovered in backyard chickens at a residential property in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT).

This is the second case of high pathogenicity avian influenza in the ACT and 12th case in Australia since May.

“We received confirmation yesterday of a second detection for avian influenza (H7N8). This second detection is in backyard chickens at a residential property within the quarantine area,” Minister for Environment Parks and Land Management Rebecca Vassarotti said.

She added while it was disappointing to detect a second case, it was not unexpected, as it was the “reality of such a highly transmittable virus.”

“Avian influenza is very easily transmitted by moving sick birds from property to property, as well as from contaminated boots, equipment, and vehicles if proper biosecurity measures aren’t in place. Wild birds may also be carriers of the virus,” she said.

Avian influenza is a notifiable animal disease, meaning any suspected or confirmed cases must be reported immediately to the emergency animal disease hotline.

“Bird owners living within the quarantine area should familiarise themselves with the restrictions in place to keep their birds safe,” the minister said.

“Practical steps include avoiding contact between your birds and wild birds, washing your hands after touching your birds, keeping a blanket or cover over your chicken coup, keeping your chicken coup or aviary clean, and removing bird feed and other items that may entice wild birds to your yard.”

On June 27, the ACT government advised that one property in the ACT had returned a positive result for the H7N8 strain of avian influenza.

A quarantine order and movement restrictions were enforced within a 10 kilometre radius of the infected property.

“Surveillance for human cases is undertaken as a part of the ACT’s Notifiable Disease Surveillance Program.”

ACT Cases Linked to NSW

This case was traced back to an infected property in New South Wales (NSW), where two cases of H7N8 have been identified in the Hawkesbury district in northwest Sydney.

On June 19, the NSW government announced the first case of avian flu at a Hawkesbury egg farm and activated an “emergency biosecurity incident plan.”

The government advised at the time 240,000 birds would be culled, while a control order was activated to lockdown movement of animals, machinery and materials.

“There will be no movement of eggs, birds, or machinery out of the zone during the control order,” NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said.

A second H7N8 case was discovered following proactive surveillance from the government’s biosecurity incident response team. A further 87,000 birds were culled.

“This type of avian influenza is highly infectious in commercial poultry and it was always a possibility that we could detect sites within the control zone. The government will continue its testing at sites,”  Ms. Moriarty said on June 24.

‘Low Risk’ to Public:  Agriculture Victoria

It comes after the H7N3 strain was detected at eight poultry farms in the Golden Plains Shire in Victoria. A case of the H7N9 strain avian flu was also discovered.

“A comprehensive surveillance program is in place in the restricted and control areas in order to detect the viruses. Finding infected properties shows the program is effective at detecting infections,” the government said.

More than one million birds have been euthanised in Victoria to bring the bird flu under control.

Agriculture Victoria said highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses are a “low risk” to the public when in contact with infected animals.

“Getting sick from these viruses is unlikely for the public. Being cautious when interacting with infected animals is important to minimise any potential risk,” the department said.

It said consumers do not need to worry about eggs and duck meat products, given they “do not pose a risk and are safe to consume.”

“Victoria has a secure supply chain for eggs, even during the current outbreak,” Agriculture Victoria said.

Meanwhile, in an update on July 2, the federal government said the current strains of avian influenza in Australia do not “transmit easily between humans.”

The Australian government also reiterated eggs and chicken meat are safe to eat, so long as they are handled and cooked according to standard food handling procedures.