Bird flu outbreak spreads to a fourth Victorian farm sparking fears of an egg shortage in supermarkets

Bird flu has been detected on a fourth Victorian poultry farm.

Agriculture Victoria confirmed the highly pathogenic H7N3 strain of bird flu was detected at a property in the Golden Plains Shire, in the central western part of the state, on Wednesday.

The farm has been quarantined and Agriculture Victoria staff are working to further limit the spread.

“All poultry will be disposed of safely under veterinary supervision, in accordance with national policy, and sites will be cleaned and cleared of infection,” Agriculture Victoria said in a statement.

The four farms affected by the outbreak are in Victoria’s largest egg-producing region.

Victorian Farmers Federation vice-president Danyel Cucinotta said egg availability could vary by outlet.

“We expect a major impact on egg supplies in the coming week and are working as hard as possible to maintain availability,” Ms Cucinotta told the ABC.

‘My advice is to look around your local grocer, market or small independent shop to buy your eggs.’

It follows highly contagious influenza detected at three farms near Meredith and one near Terang – all of which have high pathogenicity from two strains of the virus.

A spokesperson confirmed that the new detection was within the current 5km restricted area.

Victoria’s chief veterinarian Graeme Cooke said the new detection was not unexpected.

‘Bird flu is a viral bird disease that occurs worldwide. Many species of wild birds, including waterfowl and seabirds, can carry the virus but usually show no signs of illness,” Dr Cooke said.

‘We remind bird owners that housing birds, where practicable, is an effective method of minimizing direct contact with wild birds.’

Bird flu is a highly contagious viral infection of birds that can cause serious symptoms and even death in poultry.

Several farms have confirmed cases of bird flu, and the central-west area is now under a restricted zone. Image: Supplied / Agriculture Victoria

However, authorities say consumers should not worry about eggs or poultry products in supermarkets as they pose no risk to human safety and are safe to consume.

There are mild flu variants that cause few or no symptoms and can go unnoticed, while other mild variants can develop into severe variants.

The current outbreaks have resulted in properties where the virus was detected being quarantined and a containment area established.

Officials have also issued a “housing requirement” for all birds in the areas.

This means that all poultry farmers, flock animals and bird owners are obliged to house or keep their birds in closed cages or sheds as much as possible.