Newly arrived H5N1 bird flu likely to take hold in New Zealand, MPI says
New Zealand health officials warn that the H5N1 bird flu strain is likely to become endemic in the country following the first confirmed case in a seabird. Experts express concern over the potential impact on endangered native bird populations.
Why it matters
The spread of H5N1 poses a significant threat to biodiversity and potentially human health, requiring coordinated biosecurity responses.
The newly arrived strain of H5N1 bird flu is likely to become endemic in New Zealand and could happen within a matter of months, MPI's chief veterinary officer says.
A seabird found on Wellington's Petone beach has tested positive for the potentially deadly H5 strain of the virus.
It's the first case recorded in New Zealand, following a global outbreak.
Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said New Zealand was well prepared to respond, and government agencies had been working with industry and councils to protect poultry production, wildlife and communities.
MPI's chief veterinary officer Mary van Andel told Morning Report , it wasn't a disease that could be eradicated in New Zealand if it established in our wildlife.
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