Outbreak - Animal and plant pests and diseases

Advice for media during an outbreak

bec.billingham — Tue, 18 Jul 2023 05:07:10 +0000

Advice for media during an outbreak bec.billingham Tue, 2023-07-18 15:07

Exotic pests and diseases are a threat to Australia's agriculture, environment and economy.

Consistent and up-to-date public communication is crucial during an outbreak. It can help control and eradicate a pest or disease incursion. Past emergencies here and overseas have shown this. These include the equine influenza outbreak in Australia in 2007 and the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in the United Kingdom in 2001.

How we work with you

We work with the media to help the community respond to biosecurity incidents.

A Public Information Manager may be able to help get images and footage for you to report. Depending on the risk, they can seek permission for one media crew to access an affected property. The images can be shared with other media outlets.

Access to affected properties

Media and unauthorised people must not enter quarantined premises.

To do so will threaten containment, control and eradication efforts. It can place the community and affected industries at risk. Any unlawful entry into a property will be referred to local police.

Pests and diseases can be carried on your person or items. This includes:

clothes

shoes

hair

jewellery

vehicles

cameras and tripods

microphones

bags

Strict biosecurity measures are in place when you enter and leave infected premises. This includes cleaning and disinfecting people and items. Be aware that this process could damage camera and audio equipment.

Messages for the public

At the start of a biosecurity incident, there are urgent messages the public needs to know.

Keep away

Do not enter infected or at-risk properties.

Keep clean

Biosecurity and hygiene measures are always critical. Check Farmbiosecurity.com.au for advice.

Keep watch

If you see signs of pest or disease, report it. Call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or the Exotic Plant Pest Hotline on 1800 084 881.

Keep informed

Know what's happening in your area. Check Outbreak.gov.au for the latest updates.

Do not assume the source

Do not assume that the first property owner to report a pest or disease is the original source of the outbreak. Use caution when reporting on an incident. Do not implicate a person or business. This can deter people from reporting further cases.

The person who reports a pest or disease enables the authorities to respond quickly. Their actions may save many animals’ lives and peoples’ livelihoods.

Biosecurity incident response arrangements

When an exotic pest or disease is found, the state or territory government will:

quarantine the affected premises
apply movement restrictions in the form of Restricted and Control Areas
undertake secure laboratory tests to confirm the pest or disease
determine and limit the spread of the pest or disease
carry out destruction, disposal and decontamination procedures.

Who is involved

Where a pest or disease is contained within a jurisdiction, it’s known as the ‘combat’ state or territory. The combat state or territory leads the incident response. Response activities are coordinated through a State Coordination Centre (SCC). A Local Control Centre (LCC) may be established in an affected region.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry will lead a national response. This happens when a pest or disease is likely to occur in more than one jurisdiction or where there are significant international trade issues arise. These response activities are coordinated through the National Coordination Centre (NCC) in Canberra.

Nationally agreed biosecurity incident plans and procedures are in place. This ensures a consistent response across Australia. These plans and procedures are used for plant, animal and environmental biosecurity incidents. Most biosecurity incidents that occur in Australia affect plants.

See how we coordinate a response.

Quarantine zones and restrictions

Quarantine zones and movement restrictions help to contain a pest or disease. The zones are enforceable by law.

Individual properties, localities and regions will be identified as particular areas or zones. These are temporary classifications to be used as needed.

Infected Premises (IP)

A property where a pest or disease has been identified and confirmed. This property is quarantined, and access is restricted to authorised biosecurity personnel. They have specific roles to control the incident. They will undertake the necessary biosecurity procedures before entering and leaving the property.

Suspect Premises (SP)

A property that contains susceptible plant(s) or animal(s) not known to have been exposed. They show clinical signs and must be investigated.

Trace Premises (TP)

A property that contains a susceptible plant(s) or animal(s) that tracing indicates may have been exposed. Or the premises contains contaminated plant or animal products or waste. It must be investigated.

Restricted Area (RA)

A larger area around an IP. It typically includes all properties within a 10 km radius and is secured by roadblocks or check points. Do not enter the RA unless you have a legitimate need. Media personnel do not need approval from authorities to enter. You will be asked to stop at a check point to get updates on movement restrictions.

Control Area (CA)

Normally a large area in the first few days of an outbreak. Movement restrictions within the CA apply to animals, but not people. Vehicles may be stopped at check points to check for anything that might spread the pest or disease.

Restricted airspace (RA)

You must not use helicopters or drones to film infected properties. Low flying aircraft will scare and scatter livestock. This would hamper disease containment. Some diseases (including plant diseases) are airborne and can be spread easily by the wind or air disturbance.

Consideration during times of loss

During an outbreak, animals or crops may be destroyed for disease control purposes. Livelihoods may be at risk and people may experience considerable distress.

We ask that the media respect the wishes of the affected people who may want privacy.

Share support

An outbreak can be a stressful time for many people. These services may be useful to share:

Lifeline Australia 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 46 36
Mensline Australia 1300 78 99 78
Kids Help Line 1800 55 18 00
Suicide Callback Service 1300 659 467

Find the right mental health resource for you via headtohealth.gov.au.

Who to contact

Contact the state or territory government authority leading the response. They will have a media team that can help you with your media inquiries.

Outbreak.gov.au will have the latest updates. This includes details of the lead authority in the combat state or territory.

This publication is licensed by Commonwealth of Australia under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international licence.

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

Current responses to outbreaks

isaac.townsend — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 06:53:18 +0000

Current responses to outbreaks isaac.townsend Thu, 2023-06-15 16:53

Find an outbreak

Our role in a pest or disease outbreak

isaac.townsend — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:27:39 +0000

Our role in a pest or disease outbreak isaac.townsend Thu, 2023-06-15 10:27

What we do

How we coordinate a response

Who is involved in a response to an exotic pest or disease outbreak and how we work together.

About this website

What you can find on this website and how we manage information.

Biosecurity contacts

See who is responsible for plant and animal health in Australia. Contacts for government agencies and peak industry bodies.

See more

Prevent and prepare

What you can do to prevent pest and disease outbreaks. How to prepare for an outbreak that might affect you.

During an outbreak

Actions you can take if you suspect a pest or disease outbreak. How to report your concerns and what to do next.

Risks to Australia

Advice on pest and disease threats that have been detected outside Australia.

Report a concern

Report anything unusual, even if you're not sure.

Emerging risks to Australia

isaac.townsend — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:27:15 +0000

Emerging risks to Australia isaac.townsend Thu, 2023-06-15 10:27

Reduce the risk of outbreaks

These pests and diseases are not in Australia.

We have identified these as potential threats, due to detections in the region around Australia. This increases the risk of an outbreak here. Learn what you can do to help manage the risk of an outbreak.

African Swine Fever (ASF)

Affects domestic and wild pigs. It has no vaccine and kills about 80% of the pigs it infects.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)

Affects all cloven-hoofed animals including cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, deer and pigs. It does not affect horses or zebras.

Lumpy skin disease (LSD)

Affects cattle and buffalo. LSD is spread by biting flies, mosquitoes and ticks, or directly from animal to animal. It can travel long distances in infected animals or contaminated items.

See more

About pests and diseases

How to identify signs of animal or plant pests and diseases. This includes new weeds, diseases in wildlife and exotic ants.

What to do during an outbreak

How to report, what to report, and what to do next.

Training resources

Find training resources to help you understand your role during an outbreak.

How to prepare and respond to outbreaks

isaac.townsend — Thu, 15 Jun 2023 00:26:22 +0000

How to prepare and respond to outbreaks isaac.townsend Thu, 2023-06-15 10:26

What you can do

Australia’s biosecurity system is broad. Everyone can help keep Australia safe. If you work in agriculture, in a supply chain in animal or plant health, or if you are travelling overseas or buying goods online, you can play your part.

What to look for

Learn how to identify signs of animal or plant pests and diseases. This includes new weeds, diseases in wildlife or exotic species such as ants.

Prevent and prepare

See how your actions can protect Australia from exotic animal and plant pests or diseases. How to prepare for an outbreak that might affect you.

During an outbreak

What to do during an animal or plant pest or disease outbreak. How to report, what to report, and what to do next.

Training resources

Find training resources to help you understand your role during an outbreak.

Media arrangements

Information for media reporting on an outbreak.

Report a concern

Report anything unusual, even if you’re not sure. Find the right number to report your concern to the relevant state or territory authority.

See more

Risks to Australia

Advice on pest and disease threats that have been detected outside Australia.

Our role

How government and industry coordinate a response to an exotic pest or disease outbreak.

Emergency animal diseases: A field guide for Australian veterinarians

bec.billingham — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 04:04:05 +0000

Emergency animal diseases: A field guide for Australian veterinarians bec.billingham Sat, 2019-08-24 14:04

About the product

An outbreak of an emergency animal disease (EAD) in Australia could cause significant social and economic harm. They can affect the health of animals, humans and the environment.

This field guide details important emergency animal diseases that do not exist in Australia or that are rare. It will help you to:

include appropriate EADs in your differential diagnosis
take appropriate action if you see signs of an unusual disease.

New diseases of animals continue to emerge. Veterinarians must investigate and report unusual outbreaks of disease in domestic animals.

Training

Vets can also access a series of online training modules on EAD surveillance.

This training will:

remind you of your obligations to identify and report cases of suspected EADs to government authorities
identify the right reporting channels
outline key response strategies and intervention options in an EAD event
provide key roles for private vets to detect, investigate, report and respond to EAD events
help you source technical resources on EADs.

Download

Download PDF - 3.48 MB

Download Word - 19.3 MB

This publication is licensed by Commonwealth of Australia under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 international licence.