Supermarkets in Australia may soon experience egg shortages due to the detection of a new bird flu strain at a poultry farm in Victoria’s north-east. The Euroa farm has been quarantined amid concerns that the highly pathogenic H7N8 avian influenza virus, confirmed through CSIRO testing, could be spreading. This strain parallels one found in New South Wales and the ACT last year, but officials assure it is a distinct outbreak, separate from a devastating incident in 2024 that led to the destruction of 1.3 million birds.
Measures are being taken to control the situation, including a five-kilometre quarantine zone around the farm and the culling of all 76,000 chickens on the property. Acting Chief Veterinarian Cameron Bell highlighted that, despite the farm’s robust biosecurity measures, the virus was transmitted, likely by wild birds. Authorities are collaborating with the farm to manage the outbreak and have urged poultry owners statewide to stay vigilant.
This situation is expected to intensify existing egg supply challenges in supermarkets, raising concerns about potential shortages in the near future. While bird flu chiefly affects avian species, it poses a significant risk to human health if contracted.