<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>337897</docID> <postdate>2025-02-09 07:40:34</postdate> <headline>Bird flu case detected in Victoria’s north</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-337898" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20190609001403488822-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="600" /></p> <caption>Authorities have placed a Victorian poultry property in quarantine after detecting bird flu. (Dan Peled/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p>By: Lisa Martin</p> <p> </p> <p> </p> <p>Australia's recent declaration of being bird flu-free has proved short-lived, with the Victorian Agriculture Department announcing an outbreak at a farm in the state's north.</p> <p>The Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness conducted testing at Geelong confirming a H7N8 strain, which is different to the strain that hit Victorian poultry farms last year.</p> <p>The property has been placed in quarantine and arrangements made to ensure the disease does not spread from the Strathbogie Shire in Victoria's north-east, the department said.</p> <p>On Thursday, the federal government announced Australia was officially bird flu-free after there had been no detections of H7 avian influenza since July.</p> <p>More than 1.8 million birds were killed in a quest to rid the nation of the disease after Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT experienced outbreaks.</p> <p>The Victorian Agriculture Department said:Â "Consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry products from the supermarkets, they do not pose a risk and are safe to consume."</p> <p>Cases among humans in direct contact with animals infected with avian influenza viruses are possible, the department noted.</p> <p>But it said the risk to the public remains low.</p> <p>Last year, Victoria experienced Australia's largest avian influenza outbreak on record.</p> <p>Between late May and late June, eight properties tested positive for H7N3 and H7N9 avian influenza in south-west Victoria.</p> <p>There was cautious relief last week from egg farmers nationally that they can start to rebuild a devastated industry.</p> <p>Production was expected to return to normal levels in spring, depending on further outbreaks.</p> <p>Egg prices aren't expected to drop, with the industry expected to pay 20 per cent of the clean-up, forcing farmers to pass on costs to consumers.</p> <p>Over the past five decades, Australia has successfully contained and eradicated H7 bird flu multiple times,</p> <p>But there are fears the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, which has devastated animal populations overseas, could find its way to Australian shores via the migration patterns of wild birds.</p> <p>The federal government is investing more than $100 million to bolster national preparedness.</p> <p>Avian influenza, commonly known as "bird flu", is a highly contagious virus that can cause sudden death in poultry.</p> <p>The World Health Organization says the deadly H5N1 strain rarely affects humans and is not easily transferred between people.</p> </body>