Breaking: Tasmania confirms first case of deadly bird flu strain H5N1
The first confirmed case of the deadly H5N1 bird flu that has impacted wildlife across five other Australian states has been detected in Tasmania.
Tasmania has identified its first instance of the lethal H5N1 bird flu, which has affected wildlife in five other Australian states. After overnight testing, officials have confirmed that a brown skua found at Burgess Cove along the north-west coast of Tasmania tested positive for the virus. The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE) learned of the dead bird through staff from the Parks and Wildlife Service, who have been conducting active surveillance in coastal regions.
Department secretary Jason Jacobi acknowledged that the virus's arrival in Tasmania was inevitable, noting that infected brown skuas have been discovered in other Australian states. Jacobi emphasized that such a confirmation was not surprising. Primary Industries and Water Minister Gavin Pearce affirmed that Tasmania is ready to respond and has implemented its bird flu response plan.
Pearce highlighted the collaboration with the commercial poultry industry to develop biosecurity preparedness plans and ensure readiness to activate those plans. Brown skuas are large predatory seabirds that are native to Tasmania and breed on Antarctic and sub-Antarctic islands.
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