Fears for egg shortage as new bird flu case rips though third Victorian poultry farm

A third bird flu case has been detected on a Euroa poultry farm near to where the last two devastating outbreaks occurred in the Victoria’s north this month, Agriculture Victoria said on Thursday.

The latest H7N8 avian influenza case occurred within a “restricted area” and was “not unexpected,” Victoria’s acting chief veterinary officer Dr Cameron Bell said.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Bird flu outbreak spreads.

With the “humane destruction” of birds now completed at the first two sites infected this month, Agriculture Victoria said: “Work will start at the new property soon.”

The first of the latest H7N8 cases came just days after an eradication announcement was made by Agriculture Minister Julie Collins, and the unfortunate reversal of that position has reignited fears for a continued egg shortage.

As buying limits remain in Aussie supermarkets, Dr Bell thanked reassured Victorians that supermarket eggs and poultry products are still safe to eat.

At the time of the eradication announcement, more than 1.8 million birds had been killed in a quest to rid the nation of the disease after Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT experienced outbreaks.

But the strain which triggered the 2024 egg shortage impacting shelves today is different to the one now impacting the Euroa farms, the Australian Government said diagnostic testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong confirmed.

It is also different than the H5 strain, which is currently plaguing every continent except Australia.

The latest case, announced on Thursday, occurred within in a quarantined control area, which covers any producers within a 5km radius of infected properties.

“This is part of a larger control area in Strathbogie Shire, east of the Goulburn Valley Fwy,” Agriculture Victoria said.

“The goal is to prevent movements that could spread the virus.”

Those in Euroa, Violet Town, Longwood, Ruffy, Avenel, and Strathbogie, are all required to follow the specific rules which characterise the control zone, including a housing requirement for properties with 50 or more birds.

“If you are in the control or restricted areas, you cannot move birds, products (including eggs and manure) or equipment into, out of, or within the area without permit,” Bell said.

“This includes selling or giving away eggs from your poultry — these must not leave your property.”

Bell thanked the impacted properties for their cooperation and stressed that “a strong biosecurity system relies on everyone playing their part.”

- With AAP