The avian influenza outbreak at Euroa has grown to three properties. (Supplied: Lauren Mathers)
In short:
Avian influenza has been found at a third property at Euroa.
It follows the detection of the H7N8 strain at two other poultry farms in Victoria’s north last week.
What’s next?
The total number of birds euthanased across all three properties will rise to 500,000.
A highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza has been detected at a third poultry farm at Euroa in Victoria’s north-east.
Agriculture Victoria said the H7N8 strain had been detected near two other infected properties.
The property belongs to Kinross Farms, which is the same business that found the virus on two of its other sites.
There are about 260,000 birds affected by the third detection, bringing the total impacted birds to about 500,000.
Victoria’s acting Chief Veterinary Officer Cameron Bell said given the close proximity of the infected farms, the new detection was not unexpected.
“It is possible we could have other positive or infected properties,” Dr Bell said.
He believed it was a good sign the properties were confined to a small area and under close surveillance.
Cameron Bell says given the close proximity of the affected properties, the new detection is not unexpected. (ABC News)
“There are known connections between those three properties, so that is a positive,”
he said.
In a statement, Kinross Farms managing director Philip Szepe said the farms had been closely monitored since the start of the outbreak.
“We thank Agriculture Victoria for its ongoing efforts on the affected sites, and at our other sites where we continue to manage egg production and supply to customers while maintaining strict biosecurity protocols.
Hundreds of thousands of chickens have already been euthanased after the first two properties were declared infection zones last week.
Dr Bell said there would now be about half a million birds euthanased across the three properties.
“It’s a smaller number compared to the 2024 outbreak in Victoria, and containment activities are underway,” he said.
Agriculture Victoria urged anyone to report unexplained poultry deaths and suspected disease.
A 5 kilometre exclusion zone remains in place around the infected farms, as well as a control area in the Strathbogie Shire, east of the Goulburn Valley Freeway.
