The Western Australian (WA) Government will vaccinate 126 native birds and penguins over the next month, as part of a wider effort to immunise almost 10,000 Australian birds against the H5N1 flu.
State authorities have recorded no H5N1 cases since July, Environment Minister Matthew Swinbourne and Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said on 6 October.
Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry has detected 686 H5N1 outbreaks across Australia – including 10 outbreaks in WA – since late June, the agency said on 5 October.
“WA has been preparing for the arrival of H5 bird flu for several years,” Jarvis said. “[The Government is] continuing to invest in surveillance, preparedness, and practical measures to protect our wildlife, poultry producers, and food supply,” she added.
Multiple groups of wild, migratory birds in WA tested positive for the high-mortality virus over June-July. But commercial poultry producers have not detected the virus in the state’s food system.
Australia’s largest poultry producer, Inghams, closed its WA farms to non-essential workers on 22 June over two H5N1 outbreaks. It locked down many of its other Australian farms over the next month to address flu-related biosecurity risks, a company spokesperson confirmed to Lithos on 2 August.
WA’s vaccination scheme comes less than a week after the New South Wales (NSW) Government – on 1 October – began to immunise vulnerable penguin colonies against the H5N1 flu.
“The South Coast program is giving us valuable insights into how vaccination can support wildlife conservation and strengthen our preparedness for future outbreaks,” Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said at the time.
“The [campaign reflects] months of planning and coordination across … agencies, all sharing a common goal of protecting our unique wildlife and preserving important ecosystems,” Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty added.
The Federal Government has agreed to back state vaccination schemes with A$2 million worth of procurement support. It will back efforts to vaccinate 162 native species against the H5N1 flu, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said on 17 September.
By Avinash Govind