Exercise Volare occurred in August - September 2024, as a series of 3 scenario-based discussions, exercises focused on a hypothetical detection of H5N1 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) clade 2.3.4.4b (further referred to as H5 HPAI) in Australian wildlife.
These exercises aimed to improve preparedness across agriculture, environment, health portfolios and respective stakeholders to manage future HPAI outbreaks, and more specifically to inform the management of H5 HPAI across wildlife, livestock industries and health.
The broad objectives of the exercise were:
- Raise participant awareness of the HPAI situation globally, and the risks and likely consequences of H5 HPAI entering Australia.
- Explore roles and responsibilities, and authority of Australian and jurisdictional government agencies in a coordinated response to a detection of H5 HPAI in wildlife in Australia.
- Explore public information and crisis communication:
- Identify possible community concerns to a detection of H5 HPAI in Australia, actions to mitigate.
- Explore public and sector-specific stakeholder information needs, roles and responsibilities to achieve unity of effort.
- Technical response to detection of H5 in various animal species.
Exercises like this are an established part of our national preparedness and capability arrangements to respond to biosecurity emergencies such as HPAI outbreaks.
Exercise Volare Findings
A webinar is planned for 4 October 2024 which will bring together the learnings and outcomes from Exercise Volare and will be open for all interested parties. Contact Exercise_Volare_2024@aff.gov.au to register your interest for this event.
The exercise has been successful example of collaboration between agriculture, environment, health and emergency management portfolios at the national level, as we take a whole of government and ‘One Health’ approach to this cross-sectoral threat.
The exercise provided important insights into our preparedness for H5 HPAI. A summary of findings from Exercise Volare will be made available on this webpage once complete.
More information
Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement (EADRA)
Australian Government Crisis Management Framework
World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) Simulation Exercise notification