Breaking: Second case of H5 bird flu in Queensland
The wild shearwater found dead at Castaways Beach returned a positive result for the disease from the Queensland Government's biosecurity science laboratory last night.
Queensland has detected its second instance of H5 bird flu, following a wild shearwater that tested positive for the disease on Castaways Beach in the Sunshine Coast. The public is being encouraged to report any sick or deceased wild birds to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888. This second case occurred after the first detection on Moreton Island in late July, with no current signs of the disease in poultry or significant bird deaths in the state.
Australia-wide, most states have confirmed bird flu cases, including South Australia, which reported at least three mass mortality events in wild birds. Queensland remains at a low risk, but there is a warning that mass bird deaths could occur with ongoing migratory seasons. Affected species deemed suitable candidates for vaccination are being identified, but these birds would need to be vaccinated twice, requiring either captivity or recapture for a second vaccination.
The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) has an Incident Management Team addressing the current case, prioritizing heightened surveillance and regular public communication. Queensland's Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett emphasized protecting the state's multi-million-dollar poultry sector as the government's top priority.
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.
