Australia is experiencing a bird flu outbreak. It has ramped up surveillance procedures after just two cases of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu were confirmed in migratory seabirds.
It does claim that other birds could also have contracted the virus. Tests are underway in South Australia (SA) after two dead sub-Antarctic seabirds and a pelican were found on Monday near Fowlers Bay, more than 1,200 kilometers east of Esperance in Western Australia, (WA) where the first two confirmed cases were reported, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), as reported by The Japan Times.
Both bird in Fowlers Bay tested negative for the virus, according to a report by ABC.
South Australia state Primary Industries Minister Claire Scriven told ABC Radio at the time, that it could be a few days before the results of the possible cases come back. “In terms of the turnaround times, it sort of depends on the outcomes … we hope this doesn’t get to South Australia, but we know, of course, that it may,” Scriven said.
The third case of bird flu was confirmed in a migratory bird on Australia’s southern coast, with a giant petrel testing positive in SA.
South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the state recorded the avian influenza in a giant petrel found at Knights Beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. He added that the two sick birds came into the care of a local wildlife rescue group on June 14th.
“Once that was drawn to the attention on June 19 to the relevant authorities in South Australia, we responded quickly and enabled and facilitated active testing of those birds for H5 bird flu,” the premier said. “This afternoon we received those results and they confirmed that one of those birds was negative and one them was positive.”
Malinauskas is urging the public to stay away from dead birds, and to not handle them.
“At this stage there is no evidence of any mass mortalities, there is also currently no evidence of infection in poultry or in our agricultural production system, and there continued to be a low risk to human health,” Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said.
However, the state is conducting more regulatory procedures because of the possibility of a larger outbreak. Ground-based surveillance and drone surveys are being carried out at sea lion breeding sites along South Australia’s west and far west coasts, while testing frequency has been increased in high-risk areas.
This seems like a little bit of an overreaction, but it is also on par with what ruling classes have been doing for any mild outbreak since the COVID-19 scamdemic.