Please find below the media release from the NSW Government , Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW regarding the emerging situation in the Hawkesbury area of NSW and Avian Influenza.

The EPANSW recommends following all directives issued by the DPI NSW, and the NSW Government.

Below the EPANSW has included resources for managing biosecurity for both Individuals and Clubs, "Biosecurity Guidelines for EXHIBITION

Poultry" these are downloads of Logbooks and Manuals supplied by the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 

USEFUL LINKS

https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/animals-and-livestock/poultry-and-birds/health-disease/avian-influenza

https://www.facebook.com/NSWDPI.Biosec

https://www.facebook.com/NSWDPI

Email NSWDPI 

Second NSW case of avian influenza detected in control zone.

22 June 2024

Dear Producer,  

There has been a second case of avian influenza (AI) strain HPAI H7N8 at a poultry farm in the Greater Sydney Basin. The CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) confirmed the positive result today. Proactive sampling was undertaken by NSW DPI during routine surveillance on a property near the original infected premise.

Importantly, testing has shown that the new NSW case is not H5N1 strain that is causing concern globally. There is also no known connection between NSW and the HPAI cases in Victoria.

The source of infection in poultry has not yet been identified.  

Regardless of whether you are a commercial producer, or you only keep a few chickens in your backyard, you need biosecurity practices in place to protect your birds from disease.

·  Restrict contact between your birds and wild birds wherever you can.

·  Provide feed and water in the poultry shed or use equipment that restricts     wild bird access.

·  Keep your poultry sheds, yards and aviaries, and equipment, clean.

·  Only buy healthy birds from reputable suppliers and always quarantine new birds before introducing them to the resident flock.

·  Limit any visitors to your birds, and check if essential visitors have recently visited other premises where poultry are kept.

·  Always practice good hygiene if you attend bird shows or poultry auctions.

·  Always wash your hands before and after handling birds and eggs

·  Change into clean footwear before entering poultry houses or hen facilities, to stop the potential transfer of disease from outside.

·  Keeping good records of bird movements or sales

·  Record and report unusual signs of disease or increased deaths in your birds.

Avian influenza is a notifiable disease in NSW. If you notice symptoms consistent with avian influenza, you must report it immediately to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.

More information on Avian Influenza can be found on the NSW DPI website. 

Minister for Agriculture and Western NSW - Media Release

19 Jun 2024

The NSW Government has enacted its emergency biosecurity incident plan to address the detection of avian influenza in the Hawkesbury district on a poultry egg farm, that has been confirmed as the High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI).

This analysis was confirmed by the CSIRO national testing labs, the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness today.

The HPAI detected is the H7N8 type and is not the same strain as the current Victorian outbreak. It is understood at this point to be a separate spill-over event, potentially from wild birds.

High pathogenic diseases spread quickly and have a high mortality rate amongst poultry birds, which is why there has been an immediate lock down of the farm.

The detection has triggered the NSW Government’s Emergency Animal Disease response, including an individual biosecurity direction to the farm and business, closing it off.

Under the individual direction the affected egg farm has implemented quarantine to prevent the movement of equipment, and animals, to stop further spread.

A formal control order will be declared this afternoon that will extend biosecurity control to a radius of 1-2 kilometres around the farm site.

The legal instrument will guide the urgent actions of depopulating poultry and decontaminating the farm.

The Government’s Biosecurity Incident Management Team is now up and running and has been liaising with the Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal diseases to discuss immediate response plans and the National Emergency Animal Disease Management Group.

NSW consumers should not be concerned about eggs and poultry products from the supermarkets.

This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health and the products are safe to consume, if they are handled and cooked as per standard food handling practices​.

The Government will work closely with industry to reduce the risk of spread and minimise any impact on egg supply.

As outlined in yesterday’s Budget, the NSW Government takes biosecurity threats seriously with $946 million invested for protecting our State and our primary industries.

Detections like this demonstrate our Biosecurity system and plan is working to detect incursions when they occur, and then taking swift action to contain, manage, eradicate, and decontaminate.