Residents 'gutted' as more cases of H5 bird flu emerge in NSW

On the NSW far south coast, seven new cases of H5 bird flu have been detected, leaving residents distressed over the potential loss of more birds to the disease. The NSW government is transitioning to a reporting system called events, which considers each investigation involving one or multiple birds as a single event rather than individual cases.

Biosecurity signs have been installed at beaches in Merimbula, warning the public to stay away from wildlife to prevent further spread of the deadly H5 strain. Local birdwatcher Andrew Dovell expressed his distress, saying he is "gutted" at the thought of more birds succumbing to the disease. Tathra-based ecologist Steve Sass, while concerned, noted that the latest detections were not surprising, given the highly contagious nature of the strain.

H5 bird flu has also affected other parts of Australia, including South Australia, where authorities identified multiple mass bird mortality events, and Tasmania, where over two dozen penguins were found dead. The public is advised to report any sightings of sick or dead birds and marine animals to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.