Breaking: Bird flu detected in second spot in Tasmania
A crested tern near Currie on King Island was reported to the emergency hotline on Thursday and tested positive overnight.
A second case of bird flu has been confirmed on Tasmania's King Island, this time in a crested tern. The H5N1 strain was detected following testing of the bird, which was collected by Department of Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Tasmania staff on Thursday from the coast near Currie. The initial case was reported through the Emergency Animal Disease hotline.
Two additional crested terns from the same area were also reported the same day. Results for these birds are anticipated on Saturday. Crested terns are prevalent in coastal regions across Australia, including Tasmania.
Premier Jeremy Rockliff expressed gratitude to the community and NRE staff for their rapid response. He emphasized that the arrival of H5 bird flu in Tasmania was anticipated given the virus's global spread and presence in other Australian states.
In response, the government has implemented surveillance measures across the state, including field monitoring, sample collection and testing, aerial observations, and remote surveillance technology. The officials are prepared and taking a proactive approach, responding swiftly to the situation.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
