Mass deaths of wild birds caused by the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu have been identified for the first time in Australia. Authorities in the country warned that further spread of the virus in the wild is inevitable.
The infection was officially confirmed in a group of nearly fifty gulls discovered on the southern coast of the continent. Australian Minister for Agriculture Julie Collins reported that the virus outbreak was observed in the Cape Jeff area, located 250 kilometers south of Adelaide.
A helicopter patrol found 49 dead and 35 infected large crested gulls on coastal cliffs. According to the agency head, once H5N1 begins to spread in its natural habitat, preventing significant losses among wild animals becomes impossible, so citizens are advised to prepare for an increase in such incidents.
Currently, 74 confirmed cases of H5N1 have been registered in Australia. The virus spread affects the states of Western Australia and Queensland, although the highest concentration of cases is observed in South Australia. It is important to note that the virus has not yet been detected on livestock farms, as most poultry farms have been placed under strict quarantine since the first registration of the infection in the country in June.
Australia, as well as New Zealand, which recorded its first H5N1 case a month earlier, has taken steps over several years to prepare for the possible entry of the virus. These measures included strengthening biosecurity on farms, monitoring coastal birds, vaccinating vulnerable species, and developing response scenarios.
Globally, this disease has already caused the death of hundreds of millions of birds and mammals, resulting in billions of dollars in losses to the poultry industry and noting cases of bovine infection in the USA. Although the virus potentially can be transmitted to humans through direct contact with infected animals, specialists assess the current risk to the population as low.
