A second poultry farm in New South Wales, Australia, has been hit by the H7N8 avian influenza strain, according to state authorities. The outbreak was confirmed over the weekend.
State Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty announced that the virus was detected on a farm located just 1.5 kilometers from the initial outbreak site identified last week. This new infection falls within the biosecurity control zone established around the first affected farm, situated in the Hawkesbury district northwest of Sydney.
Moriarty emphasized the highly infectious nature of this avian flu strain in commercial poultry, noting that further detections within the control zone were anticipated. “Our testing efforts will continue to ensure we manage the spread of this virus,” she stated.
The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness, part of the national science agency, confirmed that neither of the affected farms had the H5N1 strain, which has been causing outbreaks globally, including in the United States and in numerous dairy cattle herds across 12 states.
Australian authorities estimate that it will take about a week to humanely cull and dispose of approximately 327,000 birds from the two infected farms in New South Wales. Emergency biosecurity measures, including farm quarantines and regional movement controls, have been enacted to contain the outbreak.
This recent incident is unrelated to a separate outbreak affecting seven farms in Victoria state, where High Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) involving the H7N3 and H7N9 strains has been confirmed by animal health officials.
