The duck farm was inside a quarantine zone
14 June 2024
2 minute learn
Extremely pathogenic avian influenza has been discovered on a duck farm close to Melbourne shut to 5 poultry farms the place the virus had already unfold, Reuters reported, citing the federal government of Australia’s Victoria state.
The duck farm was inside a quarantine zone arrange round different affected services and the federal government mentioned its an infection was not a shock.
Authorities try to include outbreaks of two strains of hen flu close to Melbourne, an H7N3 pressure on 4 poultry farms and the duck farm and an H7N9 kind on a poultry farm about 130 kms (80 miles) to the southwest.
Neither pressure is the H5N1 kind that has contaminated billions of untamed and farmed animals globally, upsetting meals provide chains and elevating fears of human transmission.
“Checks have confirmed the excessive pathogenicity H7N3 pressure at a business duck farm,” Victoria’s agriculture division mentioned in an announcement on Thursday.
“All geese on the property will probably be humanely disposed of beneath veterinary supervision, according to nationwide insurance policies and the positioning will probably be cleaned and cleared of the an infection.”
Round 1,000,000 of Australia’s 21-22 million egg-laying chickens have been or will probably be killed at affected farms to include the virus, Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt mentioned this week.
The nation’s second-biggest grocery store chain, Coles, imposed a two carton per buyer restrict on egg purchases at most shops this week however different retailers haven’t adopted go well with.
Trade physique Eggs Australia mentioned the outbreaks had been inflicting disruption to provide however there was no total scarcity of eggs.
“Folks will be assured that we have this in hand,” Watt mentioned.
Earlier than the newest circumstances, Australia noticed 9 outbreaks of extremely pathogenic avian influenza since 1976, all of which had been contained and eradicated, in line with the federal government.
Authorities say duck and hen eggs and meat stay suitable for eating.
