Fears of a looming egg shortage after the avian influenza outbreak hit Australia
Victorian supermarkets have begun restricting the number of egg cartons customers can buy as the bird flu outbreak continues to wreak havoc.
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Victorian supermarkets have begun restricting the number of egg cartons customers can buy as the bird flu outbreak continues to wreak havoc.
Coles on Sunday confirmed that people would be limited to two cartons each in the short term as the retail giant experienced problems with supply.
A company spokesman told the Herald Sun the limit would be temporary.
“We are working closely with all of our suppliers to ensure eggs remain available for our customers and we are providing support to the industry in responding to the avian flu cases in Victoria,” the spokesman said.
The two egg-carton limit will be in place in stores across the country except in Western Australia.
Experts have been warning of a looming egg shortage after the avian influenza outbreak hit Australia.
Up to 600,000 egg-laying chickens may need to be culled to stem the spread, which will mean fewer eggs on supermarket shelves.
On Friday, bird flu was detected at a fifth Victorian farm.
The highly infectious avian influenza H7N3 strain was found at the Golden Plains Shire property, which has been placed in quarantine.
The strain was detected on Wednesday at Farm Pride’s Lethbridge property, where 80,000 free-range hens will be culled.
Bird flu was also found at a property near Meredith, where 400,000 poultry were disposed of, and at Terang, about 45km northeast of Warrnambool.
There are 100 egg farms in Victoria.
The World Health Organisation confirmed that Australia’s first human infection of the avian influenza virus case, or bird flu, probably came from India.
A two-year-old girl found to have the disease had travelled to Kolkata in India between February 12 and 29 and returned to Melbourne on March 1.
She spent two and a half weeks in hospital recovering.
Authorities believe she contracted the disease before returning to Australia.
The Victorian Department of Health reported the child had started to feel unwell on February 25.
Her main symptoms were loss of appetite, irritability and fever.
Originally published as Fears of a looming egg shortage after the avian influenza outbreak hit Australia
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