Australia has reported its first human case of avian influenza, with a child in the southeastern state of Victoria becoming infected with the H5N1 strain while in India. Authorities say the child has made a full recovery, and there is a very low chance of further transmission, as the flu does not easily spread between people.
This is the first confirmed human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza in Australia, though the strain is not the same as those responsible for outbreaks in the United States. Separately, a different highly contagious strain of bird flu, an as yet unidentified H7 strain, has been detected at an egg farm near Melbourne.
The H5N1 strain of avian flu has been sweeping the globe in recent years, killing billions of farmed and wild birds and spreading to tens of mammal species. Australia is the only continent where animals have so far stayed free of the H5N1 virus, until now.
Authorities have imposed movement restrictions around the affected egg farm and the birds will be destroyed in an effort to stamp out any further spread. While the outbreak presents no risk to human health, it has led to a decline in shares of chicken producer Inghams Group.
Industry bodies have stated that the impact on egg and chicken meat supplies at the retail level is expected to be minimal, as companies have stepped up biosafety measures as a precaution. However, the detection of these avian flu strains in Australia is a concerning development, as the country has previously been able to quickly contain and eradicate such outbreaks.
The identification of the first human case, even if contracted overseas, and the emergence of a different highly pathogenic strain on a local farm, underscores the need for continued vigilance and preparedness in managing the ongoing global threat of avian influenza.