Australia’s Victoria state orders poultry lockdown as H5N1 bird flu cases rise

Australia’s Victoria state will require poultry producers to keep birds indoors as detections of H5N1 avian influenza continue to rise, becoming the country’s first jurisdiction to impose such a measure, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) reported Friday.

The mandatory housing order, which expands on an existing voluntary measure, will apply to anyone keeping more than 50 birds and will initially remain in force for 14 days.

Agriculture Minister Michaela Settle described the move as a “proactive, precautionary measure” aimed at preventing farmed birds from coming into contact with potentially infected wildlife.

Victoria’s Chief Veterinary Officer Graeme Cook said new detections in Yambuk, Apollo Bay and Clyde had prompted authorities to strengthen their response as the virus spread into new areas of the state.

Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said Friday that testing had confirmed another 20 positive detections in Victoria, all involving greater crested terns in the Portland and Nelson area.

Australia has now recorded 175 confirmed or presumed positive H5 bird flu detections based on tested samples, according to ABC News.

However, authorities said there had been no detections in poultry or Australia’s agricultural production system, while the risk to humans remained very low.

Concerns have also prompted the Royal Adelaide Show to cancel bird and poultry exhibits scheduled for next month.