A child returning from overseas has been confirmed as Australia’s first recorded human case of a strain of bird flu that has spread globally and is causing widespread bird deaths.
The child, who returned to Victoria from India in March, developed a “severe infection” after contracting the H5N1 strain but has since made a full recovery, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer confirmed on Wednesday.
“This is the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in Australia,” Dr Clare Looker said.
‘The bird flu virus was discovered through further testing of positive flu samples which is taking place to detect new or influenza virus strains of concern, as part of Victoria’s enhanced surveillance system.
‘Contact tracing has not identified any further cases of bird flu associated with this case.’
Dr. Looker said the chance of new cases in humans was low because bird flu does not spread easily between people.
The revelation comes on the same day that agricultural authorities revealed another strain of bird flu had been discovered at an egg farm in regional Victoria.
Agriculture Victoria has ordered urgent testing after bird flu was discovered on a farm near Meredith, about 40km northwest of Geelong, following a number of poultry deaths.
Chief Veterinary Officer Graeme Cooke said the outbreak was likely to involve the H7N7 strain, as opposed to the highly pathogenic H5N1 variant.
“There is a type of virus that is of great concern in the US and other parts of the world and is behaving unusually in that it has infected dairy cattle and some other marine mammals,” Dr. Cooke to ABC’s Country Hour.
“This is not the species we are dealing with. This is a species that has previously occurred in Australia. It’s probably not new.’
H7N7 was the most common form of bird flu in Australia, Dr Cooke said.
One of the strains in Australia’s latest 2020 bird flu outbreak, which affected one in three egg farms in Victoria, was an H7 strain and testing is underway to determine if it is the same.
“Agriculture Victoria is responding with staff on site supporting the business with further laboratory testing as required,” Dr Cooke said.
The property has been quarantined within a 5 km radius and the affected animals will be ‘depopulated’.
Samples of the virus have been sent to the Australian Center for Disease Preparedness in Geelong for testing.
Bird flu is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause severe symptoms and sudden death in domestic poultry, wiping out entire populations.
Wild birds are the natural hosts of the disease and can spread through close contact or contaminated environments.
All bird species are believed to be susceptible to the deadly H5N1, which has also been found in more than 50 mammal species, including humans.
Infected people have experienced mild symptoms or been asymptomatic, but some experience severe illness.
Authorities have reassured the public that eggs and poultry products in supermarkets pose no risk and are safe to consume.
Bird owners have been reminded to keep enclosures clean, quarantine new birds before integrating them into existing flocks, ensure footwear is clean and always wash hands before and after handling birds or eggs .