Agriculture Victoria continues to respond to the detection of high pathogenicity avian influenza at 8 Victorian poultry farms, with no new infected properties identified since 24 June. Between 120-160 staff are deployed on any given day.
Victorian Government staff have completed more than 5,000 surveillance activities, including property visits, phone calls and dead bird collections, and tested over 16,300 samples.
Agriculture Victoria staff continue to work with affected properties supporting decontamination, egg and litter disposal. A comprehensive surveillance program of all commercial poultry farms in the area is also underway.
Residents nearby to the infected properties are receiving regular text messages and calls from Agriculture Victoria to confirm the health of any poultry on their property.
Poultry owners are reminded that movement controls remain in place near Terang, Meredith and Lethbridge. Permits are required for the movement of birds, poultry products and feed. These are expected to remain in place until the situation stabilises.
There is also a housing requirement in place, meaning all birds in the restricted area or control area near the infected properties must remain in their enclosures, to avoid any contact with wild birds.
"We appreciate that in these areas it's not always easy to have your birds housed and we thank bird owners for their essential support to prevent the spread of this disease, as the risk of the disease remains" said Victoria's Chief Veterinary Officer Dr Graeme Cooke.
