Post Reply - H7 flu

While China's H7N9 virus proved exceptionally deadly for humans (killing roughly 40% of those hospitalized between 2013-2018), H7 outbreaks elsewhere in the world have tended to produce relatively mild symptoms in humans. 

A few examples include:

• NYC's 016 dramatic H7N2 outbreak in cats, and spillover into animal shelter workers (see J Infect Dis: Serological Evidence Of H7N2 Infection Among Animal Shelter Workers, NYC 2016)
• 3 mild cases of LPAI H7N7 in Italy in 2013 (see ECDC Update & Assessment: Human Infection By Avian H7N7 In Italy).
• In 2006 1 person in the UK was confirmed to have contracted H7N3, and the following year, 4 people tested positive for H7N2 – both following local outbreaks in poultry.
• The Fraser Valley H7N3 outbreak of 2004 resulted in at least two human infections, as reported in this EID Journal report: Human Illness from Avian Influenza H7N3, British Columbia.

Detection in Australia

A response to outbreaks of H7 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) is currently underway on 8 Victorian poultry farms, 2 in New South Wales and one in the ACT.

All infected premises across Victoria, NSW and the ACT have been depopulated.

Victoria

The first detection of an H7N3 HPAI strain was confirmed on 22 May 2024 at a poultry farm near Meredith, in the Golden Plains Shire, Victoria. Six other poultry farms in the shire are now infected, with the most recent confirmed on 24 June.

Tracing activities conducted in May also identified a separate H7N9 HPAI strain on a poultry farm near Terang in the Shire of Corangamite.

Get the latest on these outbreaks - Agriculture Victoria

New South Wales

The NSW Department of Primary Industries is currently responding to 2 outbreaks of H7N8 in poultry in the Hawkesbury district. The first was an egg farm confirmed on 19 June, and then on 22 June a broiler (chicken meat) farm located within the existing Restricted Area, was confirmed with the same strain.

NSW DPI has a 2 km Restricted Area in place around the infected properties. A broader Control Area is also in place.

These outbreaks are separate to the H7 HPAI strains found in Victorian poultry and are not linked. These outbreaks are likely to be a spillover of the virus from wild birds.

Get the latest on these outbreaks from NSW DPI

Australian Capital Territory

Following tracing activities in the ACT, the H7N8 HPAI strain was confirmed on 27 June at a poultry farm. The property was linked to one of the infected properties in NSW.

Details of the ACT situation can found on the ACT Government website.

Government actions

The Australian, and state and territory governments along with affected poultry and egg industries, are working together to manage these outbreaks through well-established response arrangements.