H5 bird flu detected in Australian seabird

A seabird found at Robe in the state’s South East has become the first Australian seabird to be detected with H5 bird flu, as extensive surveillance continues across SA.

The bird – a greater crested tern – was found dead at the Robe Marina and was reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on Tuesday 7 July.

It was collected the same day and has undergone testing at Gribbles at PIRSA’s Glenside facility and at the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP). The tests confirmed H5 bird flu this morning.

Importantly, while this is the first confirmed detection in an Australian seabird, it is being treated as an isolated incident.

There remains no detections in poultry or any signs of mass mortalities anywhere in Australia.

This result comes as a further two giant petrels – one found at Emu Bay, Kangaroo Island and the other at Port Vincent, Yorke Peninsula – which were suspected of having H5 bird flu have also been confirmed by the ACDP.

This takes the state’s total to 5 confirmed cases of H5 bird flu, all in wild seabirds.

Ongoing surveillance will continue across the state, including aerial patrols with helicopters, planes and drones, and field surveillance crews.

The largest aerial survey undertaken in South Australia in more than four decades was completed last week, covering almost 5,000 kilometres of coastline, islands and reefs and no evidence of widespread impacts from H5 bird flu on wildlife.

South Australia has been preparing for H5 bird flu for the past few years, with the State and Federal Governments investing a combined $8.1 million into PIRSA to boost its emergency response capabilities, surveillance, diagnostics, workforce capability and overall readiness.

A further $3.5 million has been invested into the Department for Environment and Water from the Federal Government to support preparedness and resilience building activities for the environment and at-risk wildlife.

A series of community information sessions on H5 bird flu are being rolled out to ensure the public has the most up to date information and can ask questions about the response:

• Kangaroo Island – Kingscote Town Hall, Kingscote – Thursday 16 July, 6 pm to 7.30 pm
• Yorke Peninsula – Yorketown Town Hall, Yorketown – Wednesday 22 July, 6 pm to 7.30 pm
• Metropolitan Adelaide – venue to be confirmed – Monday 27 July, 6 pm to 7.30 pm
• Adelaide Plains – Port Parham Sports and Social Club, Dublin – Thursday 6 August, 6 pm to 7.30 pm.

More community information sessions are being planned, for the latest information see Avian influenza.

What you can do

The community is encouraged to report any dead or sick birds or wildlife showing signs of bird flu. Possible signs of bird flu in birds include:

• multiple sick or dead birds in one location
• weakness, inability to stand or fly
• neurological signs or abnormal behaviour
• swelling or discolouration
• respiratory distress.

If you see sick or dead birds or other wildlife, do not touch them.

Avoid  contact. Record what you see. Report  it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 from anywhere in Australia.

For more information on bird flu visit birdflu.gov.au.

Photo: Noodle snacks, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons