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Current Situation
Surveillance continues to show that Avian influenza (bird flu) is not currently present in Australia and it remains safe to eat chicken, eggs and poultry products. However, Victoria remains prevalently vigilant to signs of the disease even though the probability of a significant outbreak is low.
The quicker authorities are alerted to an outbreak of bird flu the faster action can be taken to stop its spread and to eradicate it.
Unusual signs, like a large number of bird deaths should be reported immediately to the Emergency Disease Watch Hotline, free call 1800 675 888.
Poultry and other bird keepers as well as bird watchers, have a significant role in recognising and reporting the signs of bird flu.
Commercial poultry farmers already have well-developed biosecurity systems that have been strengthened in recent years, as an extra precaution bird keepers and poultry producers, particularly small enterprises, should:
- prevent their birds from coming into contact with wild birds such as waterfowl (eg ducks)
- use protective netting and treat water and food supplies, that can be a source of infection through contamination with bird droppings, with extra care.
Background Information
- Avian influenza and pandemic human influenza are not the same disease
- There is little or no likelihood of a human influenza pandemic developing in Australia as a result of migratory birds carrying avian influenza virus to Australia
- Avian influenza in birds does not easily cause disease in humans
- Avian influenza is not a health risk to the community under Australian conditions
- There is negligible risk of people in Australia becoming infected with avian influenza through normal contact with birds. There is a low likelihood of the H5N1 virus coming to Australia and causing disease in poultry or other birds
- Biosecurity measures in commercial poultry flocks are aimed at, and critical to preventing infection with diseases such as avian influenza
- Aviary birds, caged birds and back yard birds are at negligible risk of infection if owners use simple biosecurity measures such as preventing them mixing with wild birds and protecting their feed and water from faecal contamination by wild birds
- Normal hygiene measures, such as hand washing after handling birds and using gloves when handling sick or dead birds, are very effective measures against many diseases, including avian influenza.
- Australia is well prepared to deal with a case of avian influenza in poultry. There have been five incidents of avian influenza in poultry in Australia, the last being in 1997. Each incident was controlled and infected poultry eradicated before the disease spread. No person became sick from the avian influenza virus in any of the incidents.
- Good surveillance, early detection, and rapid, effective stamping out have characterised every incident so far; planning, preparedness and response procedures continue to be refined and improved.
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