Victoria hit by bird flu scare

AS if Victoria didn’t have enough to deal with right now with a second wave of coronavirus, now a case of bird flu has been discovered at a Victorian chicken farm.

Health officials have advised the farm is under quarantine and there is no risk to the public.

Victoria’s chief veterinary officer Dr Graeme Cooke said a 5km radius protection zone had been placed around the farm and it was in quarantine. Workers and biosecurity officers are managing the situation.

Bird flu primarily affects birds, however, like COVID-19, it has made the jump to humans.

Similar to COVID-19, bird flu symptoms start off like the common flu, such as cough, fever, sore throat, muscle aches, headache and shortness of breath.

Birds and their eggs on the free-range farm near Lethbridge, in rural Victoria, have tested positive for H7N7 avian influenza virus.

There was currently no risk of contracting bird flu from any food supplied by the farm, Dr Cooke said.

“All pigeon races, bird shows and bird sales in the areas around the quarantined property should be cancelled,” he said in a statement. “To control the spread of avian influenza, birds on the affected property are being destroyed.”

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services said the H7N7 virus was not a risk to the public as it rarely affected humans unless there was direct and close contact with sick birds.”

Farmers are being urged to report any suspicious and unexplained bird deaths.