No need for ruffled feathers, says DAFF

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry says there is no need for panic despite avian influenza being detected near Melbourne.

DAFF’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Mark Schipp, stresses that the type of influenza found in the ducks is not the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, but rather a low pathogenic H5 subtype.

“I am advised that the risk to human health is negligible,” he said.

The Department of Primary Industries reinforces this advice: “The wider community is not at risk from this incident,” said Dr Andrew Cameron, the Department’s Chief Veterinary Officer.

Consumers are being advised that poultry and eggs are safe to eat. According to the DAFF’s website, low pathogenic avian influenza is occasionally detected in wild birds, but is not cause for concern.

Australian notification obligations mean that the incident had to be reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health. As a result of this notification, the Japanese government has decided to stop imports of all Australian poultry products.

DAFF Biosecurity is recommending that exporters with products that contain small amounts of egg products contact their buyer in Japan and confirm import conditions.

Despite the strain being the low pathogenic avian influenza, rather than the contagious H5N1 strain, the duck farm’s two locations have been placed under quarantine and its ducks will be humanely destroyed as a precaution. The infection is not treatable, so culling affected animals is the only solution available at this time.

“The virus is relatively harmless now, but we do not want to take the risk it could linger in bird populations and mutate over time to a more virulent strain,” said Dr Cameron.

The DAFF is recommending that bird owners restrict contact between domestic and wild birds, quarantine new birds and practise good hygiene when attending bird shows and handling birds.