Australia confirms first mass death of seabirds from H5N1 bird flu
Australian authorities have confirmed the first mass mortality event of seabirds due to H5N1 bird flu. While the virus has been detected in wildlife across several states, officials maintain that the risk to humans remains low.
Why it matters
The spread of H5N1 into Australian wildlife marks a critical development in the global monitoring of the virus and its potential impact on biodiversity and agriculture.
However, there is no evidence yet of the virus on Australia's farms, many of which have locked down to safeguard poultry flocks since it was first detected in June.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said testing confirmed H5N1 bird flu in a group of 49 dead and 35 sick terns found by helicopter surveillance on rocks off Cape Jaffa, 250 kilometres from Adelaide, on Friday.
"Australians should expect to see more spread and larger numbers now of wildlife being affected," she told reporters in Canberra, the capital.
"This is the first confirmed case of a mass mortality," she added. "Once the H5 bird flu is spreading in wildlife and the natural environment, it is not possible to avoid significant losses, which is what we're starting to see now."
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