H5N1 spread expected to accelerate: Agriculture Minister

Sydney (4 August)

Australians should expect more H5N1 detections in wildlife over the next few months, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Julie Collins said on 3 August, moments after she confirmed a mass flu-related mortality event in South Australia (SA).

The Australian Government partly expects infections to rise soon because of upcoming bird migrations. “We will expect to see … millions of migratory bird species arrive in Australia … and where they congregate in numbers mixed with … [infected] bird species … there is [an] increased risk of transmission and further mortality events,” Threatened Species Commissioner Dr Fiona Fraser said.

Australia has recorded 74 confirmed cases of H5N1 – up from 62 confirmed or suspected cases on 2 August – Collins said. Authorities will continue work to determine whether H5N1 has established itself in Australian wildlife, Collins added.

Poultry and agricultural producers have not reported any H5N1 detections since the virus began to spread in late June. “But you do tend to see spillover impacts [from wildlife to poultry] across the globe when it comes to the [H5N1 flu],” Collins said.

Authorities detected one infected bird near Monarto, a poultry hub in SA, where Inghams – Australia’s largest poultry producer – runs a farm.

Inghams has expanded its lockdown of poultry farms and processing plants to address H5N1 flu-related biosecurity risks, a company spokesperson confirmed to Lithos on 2 August. It continues to maintain strict biosecurity protocols to handle potential risks, a company spokesperson said.

H5N1 outbreaks pose a major threat to poultry producers. The virus has a mortality rate of 75% - 100% in poultry and some wild birds, according to Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine.

By Avinash Govind