Grim footage as 240,000 chickens gassed amid bird flu outbreak

Disturbing new footage shows how 240,000 chickens were gassed to stop the spread of the highly contagious bird flu.

Disturbing new footage shows how 240,000 chickens were killed due to biosecurity concerns over an outbreak of bird flu at a poultry far on the outskirts of Sydney.

Aerial footage obtained by 7News revealed the grim reality of NSW’s harsh biosecurity declaration, with hundreds of thousands of birds “depopulated” — gassed and dumped by the truckload.

“It’s a really difficult situation but this is necessary, we have to contain this virus,” NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty told the broadcaster.

The farm euthanised 240,000 chickens after a bird flu outbreak. Picture: 7News

On Wednesday, authorities in NSW declared a biosecurity emergency after it was discovered avian influenza had killed 8000 birds at a poultry egg farm in the Hawkesbury. A further 240,000 were euthanised to stop the spread of the virus.

The strain found at the farm is believed to have come from wild birds.

The CSIRO national research laboratory confirmed avian influenza H7N8, or bird flu, was detected in the mixed barnyard and free-range poultry.

Ms Moriarty said the emergency biosecurity incident plan was enacted after the highly contagious and deadly virus had killed thousands of birds within 48 hours.

NSW declared a bird flu biosecurity emergency on Wednesday. Picture: 7News

Although the farm has been quarantined and hundreds of thousands of chickens already put down, a two-kilometre biosecurity order surrounding the perimeter means that three other egg producers and another 355,000 chickens along with machinery and materials on the farms have been affected and can’t be moved.

“There will be no movement of eggs or birds or machinery out of the zone during the control order,” Ms Moriarty said.

NSW chief veterinary officer Dr Joanne Coombe, who is leading the incident response, met with key industry organisations on Thursday to discuss the next steps.

Ms Moriaty said the government was acting on this bird flu outbreak and would do everything to work through this challenging time for the egg and chicken meat industry.

NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty. Picture: David Swift/NCA NewsWire

This, combined with the astounding one million birds to be killed in Victoria where other strains of bird flu have been detected, has raised concerns for a lack of supply at supermarkets and caused problems for chicken-loving Aussies as buying limits on eggs have already been put in place at Coles.

Woolworths and other supermarkets are yet to follow suit.

However, authorities have assured consumers there is no need to worry about the quality of eggs and poultry from supermarkets saying there is no risk to health.

“(Bird flu) doesn’t transmit easily from animal to human, we’ve got to just stay calm about this,” NSW Health Minister Ryan Park told reporters.

Microbiologist Professor Enzo Palombo told 7News: “The threat is really with the poultry populations, not the human community.”

— with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Grim footage as 240,000 chickens gassed amid bird flu outbreak