Australia reports domestic spread of H5 avian influenza virus

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The highly contagious H5 bird flu virus has started spreading locally among wild birds in Australia, the nation’s chief veterinary officer said on Wednesday.

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Australia was for years the only continental landmass free of the H5 strain, which has caused severe disease and death in poultry and wild birds worldwide.

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“This news of some local transmission may mean we start to see wider spread among wild birds,” Chief government veterinary officer Beth Cookson told reporters.

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“Once the virus becomes widespread in wild bird populations, it will not be possible to avoid losses in susceptible wildlife.”

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The first Australian case was discovered in a migratory sea bird in June, with scientists warning it was a matter of time until it infected local populations.

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Testing had shown the virus spreading among populations of the greater crested tern living on the coast in South Australia state.

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“While this is a concerning development, it is not unexpected for us to see local transmission in birds that share a coastal habitat,” Cookson said.

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Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said there was “no evidence of mass mortalities” to date, and little risk to human health.

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Australia’s poultry industry remained unaffected, she added.

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The national science laboratory this week confirmed seven cases in greater crested terns in South Australia, bringing the national total to 27 positive detections.

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The wild birds most affected by the H5 strain include waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and birds of prey.

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– Extinction risks –

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Marine mammals have also been affected, with some detections in other animals like cats, goats, alpacas and pigs.

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Four suspected cases of bird flu were reported Wednesday on Kangaroo Island, a popular tourism destination in South Australia that is home to a significant population of endangered sea lions.

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South Australia’s minister for primary industries, Clare Scriven, told reporters beach tours would be suspended to protect the animals.

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There has been concern the disease could add to the extinction risks faced by Australian fauna, many of which are unique to the vast continent.

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Almost half of Australia’s wild bird species, and 83 per cent of its mammals, are found nowhere else.

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The H5 bird flu strain killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding colony on the remote Heard and McDonald Islands, Australian scientists said in June.

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AFP

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