Simulation exercise: High pathogenicity Avian Influenza in Australia

22 and 23 November 2022

Dr Mark Schipp, Delegate to WOAH and Australian Chief Veterinary Officer (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Canberra, Australia) informed WOAH that a simulation exercise, EXERCISE PREPARE (Poultry Response Emergency Preparedness And Recovery Exercise), will be held in Australia over two days on 22 and 23 November 2022, using a high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) outbreak scenario.

Participants include the Queensland Farmers Federation, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland United Egg Producers and major egg and chicken meat companies.

The aim of the exercise is testing the operational challenges of destruction, disposal, decontamination and recovery should an HPAI event occur in the Darling Downs region of Australia.

The objectives of the exercise are to:

• Evaluate and test the capacity and capability of both government and industry to respond to multiple outbreaks of avian influenza in the areas of destruction, disposal and decontamination in the egg/chicken meat poultry industry.
• Clarify the roles and actions of industry and Biosecurity Queensland in these areas. 
• Identify gaps in management, resources and expertise required to expedite the eradication of an outbreak and the return to normal business.

This will be an in person discussion exercise preceded by information gathering tasks by the participants.

For further information about the exercise, please contact Laurie Dowling at [email protected].

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World Animal Health Information and Analysis Department
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)
[email protected]