Experts Reassure Public: Bird Flu Strain Spreading in US and Europe Different Than that in Australia

Experts are assuring Australians that the current bird flu circulating in Victorian farms will not make major waves to public health or the national egg supply.

Six Victorian poultry farms have detected cases of avian influenza, sparking fears of egg shortages and mass bird cullings.

AAP FactCheck has found dozens of claims on Facebook, TikTok, and X about bird flu being deliberately injected into animals to destroy food supplies.

Other social media users predict the World Health Organisation will use the outbreak as a pretext to declare martial law or cancel national elections.

Scientists and industry experts have refuted those claims, saying the risk to human health in Australia remains low and egg shortages are unlikely.

They explain that the more dangerous strain of bird flu (H5N1) spreading in North America and Europe is not the same as the two (H7N3 and H7N9) detected in Victoria.