Major hub latest city to confirm first case of bird flu

Sydney has become the latest major hub to confirm its first case of H5 bird flu, a strain that has also been detected in Port Kembla and Corindi in Coffs Harbour. This is the third new event of H5 bird flu in New South Wales, following detections in Adelaide and across several suburbs in Melbourne, Hobart, Moreton Island near Brisbane, and Mullaloo in Perth.

Senior advisor for BirdLife Australia, Sean Dooley, stated that the arrival of the H5 bird flu in Sydney was inevitable, given the presence of cases in the northern suburbs. As of Wednesday, 468 events of H5 bird flu have been detected across Australia, with 20 occurring in New South Wales. The New South Wales government continues to vaccinate vulnerable species against the virus, although there have been no deaths involving poultry birds in the state.

Bird flu reporting is now based on events, rather than individual animal detections. The poultry industry is advised to house birds voluntarily, while pet and backyard chicken owners are encouraged to take precautionary measures to avoid interactions with wild birds. These measures include fencing aviaries with fine mesh and covered tops, keeping free-range chickens under strict control, and avoiding feeding wild birds.

Experts advise that cats and dogs should be kept indoors, and pet owners should keep food and water sources for their animals indoors to prevent contamination. The risk to human health remains low, but the public is advised not to touch sick or dead birds and to report any suspected cases to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888.