4033 (2024). Lan Pham to the Minister for Biosecurity

4033 (2024). Lan Pham to the Minister for Biosecurity: Has the Minister received any advice on whether Avian Flu is treatable?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: I am advised that High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI, the strains of ‘Avian Flu’ that cause bird deaths) rapidly causes death to infected poultry species (chickens, ducks, turkeys) and is not considered treatable. International veterinary advice recommends immediate humane euthanasia of any surviving infected poultry to prevent spread of the virus. Other bird species may be less severely affected, but if birds are showing respiratory signs or neurological signs of HPAI infection then euthanasia is normally recommended. The impact on mammals appears to depend on the strain of avian influenza and the species affected – some have been found to recover from infections, while other infections have resulted in fatalities.