Tag

H5n1

All articles tagged with #h5n1

science18 days ago•6 min saved

H5N1 Bird Flu Reaches Australia, Triggering Urgent Wildlife Surveillance

Australia confirms the first detections of the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 (clade 2.3.4.4b) in two seabirds off Western Australia, marking the virus’s arrival on the continent. The strain, now circulating globally, spreads rapidly and has devastated wildlife and poultry elsewhere, though human risk remains low. A national taskforce has been preparing since 2024, expanding surveillance and biosecurity, with discussions of wildlife vaccination in extreme cases. The public is urged to report sick or dead birds to authorities and avoid contact with wildlife to help containment.

via ScienceAlert|

#australia #bird-flu #h5n1

world18 days ago•3 min saved

Western Australia imposes poultry lockdown as mainland H5N1 bird flu detected in wild birds near Esperance

Western Australia has ordered a lockdown of poultry farms after the mainland emergence of H5N1 bird flu, confirmed in wild birds near Esperance (a brown skua and a giant petrel). Ingham’s Group halted access to operations and pushed for indoor housing of free-range stock, while authorities say there is no current evidence of spread to poultry; the outbreak has sparked widespread wildlife reports, government preparedness efforts, and market attention to the affected company.

via The Guardian|

#bird-flu #esperance #h5n1

science19 days ago•3 min saved

H5N1 hits Western Australia’s offshore seabirds, triggering wildlife health alert

Two sick brown skua and giant petrel found on Western Australia’s southern coast tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza and died, marking Australia’s first detections and prompting heightened surveillance amid fears of a broader wildlife outbreak. Experts say there’s no confirmed spread yet, but seabirds could transport the virus as they forage offshore. People should avoid handling dead or sick birds and report sightings via the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

via The Guardian|

#avian-influenza #h5n1 #science

environment21 days ago•1 min saved

Australia pledges action after mainland H5N1 bird flu detected in WA seabird

Australia confirms its first mainland H5N1 bird flu case in a migratory brown skua in Western Australia, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese pledging to do whatever it takes to curb spread. A second bird (giant petrel) in the same area is suspected, but Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the virus has not been detected in poultry. Previously, H5N1 appeared on Heard Island, highlighting wildlife risk even as human infections remain rare and global culling and price pressures continue.

via Al Jazeera|

#australia #bird-flu #environment

world21 days ago•2 min saved

Australia reports first H5N1 bird flu case, virus now on every continent

Australia confirms its first H5N1 bird flu case in a brown skua off Esperance, Western Australia, marking the virus’s presence on all continents; authorities are monitoring a second suspected case and wildlife in the region while noting prior detections on Heard and McDonald Islands.

via BBC|

#australia #bird-flu #esperance

world22 days ago•280 min saved

Subantarctic bird flu devastates seal pups on Heard Island, scientists say

A deadly H5N1 bird flu outbreak has hit Heard Island and McDonald Islands, killing an estimated 13,000 seal pups and hundreds of adult king penguins. Drone surveys showed about 76% pup mortality across 17,000 pups, with one area at 97%. Genetic data suggest the virus arrived from the Crozet Islands around August 2025, marking the virus’s eastward spread to Australian external territory; the impact on breeding adults is still unclear and the study (BioRxiv) has not been peer reviewed. As of February, the Australian mainland and New Zealand had no reported H5N1 cases.

via CNN|

#bird-flu #h5n1 #heard-island

health28 days ago•3 min saved

Rhode Island Poultry Market Euthanizes 445 Birds After H5N1 Hit

Rhode Island's Antonelli Poultry in Providence tested positive for H5N1 avian influenza during USDA routine testing, prompting humane euthanization of about 445 asymptomatic birds and a five-day market closure after disposal and sanitization; the birds were from out-of-state dealers, staff are to be monitored for 10 days, and overall human risk is low. Guidance includes cooking poultry to 165°F and safe disposal for affected products; this is RI's first domestic avian influenza case in 2026, with RIDOH and DEM coordinating the response.

via Go Local Prov|

#avian-influenza #h5n1 #health

science4 months ago•42 min saved

Coast avian flu outbreak expands to seals and beaches along California

An avian influenza outbreak (HPAI H5N1) linked to Año Nuevo State Park has spread to other marine mammals and seabirds along California’s coast, with nine more elephant seals testing positive plus a California sea lion and a southern sea otter. Public risk remains very low, but authorities urge people and pets to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife and report sightings as researchers monitor the situation. The outbreak has caused partial park closures and paused rescue operations, while scientists continue to study transmission and mortality among seals, otters, and birds across the region.

via Yahoo|

#ano-nuevo-state-park #avian-influenza #coastal-wildlife

environment4 months ago•12 min saved

Bird Flu Reaches California’s Northern Elephant Seals

Seven newly weaned northern elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo in California tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1), marking the first confirmed cases in the state’s elephant seals amid a global surge. Public risk remains low, but authorities are intensifying surveillance, closing seal-viewing areas, and coordinating across agencies to track spread and origins. The outbreak echoes 2023’s severe die-off among southern elephant seals in Argentina and underscores how climate change and migratory shifts can facilitate cross-species transmission, with potential long-term impacts on marine mammal populations and broader ecosystems.

via Inside Climate News|

#ano-nuevo #avian-influenza #elephant-seals

local4 months ago•11 min saved

Dane County backyard flock diagnosed with bird flu prompts quarantine

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 was identified in a Dane County backyard poultry flock. The premises were quarantined and the birds depopulated to prevent spread; USDA animal health officials and the Wisconsin DATCP are coordinating the response. Poultry owners are urged to enhance biosecurity and monitor flocks, reporting signs of illness as prompted. The HPAI H5N1 virus continues to circulate in wild and domestic birds across North America since 2021.

via Channel 3000|

#avian-influenza #backyard-poultry #bird-flu

science4 months ago•2 min saved

Bird Flu Kills Dozens of Seal Pups, Closes Seal-Viewing at Año Nuevo

An outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza HPAI H5N1 has killed about 30 elephant seal pups at Año Nuevo State Park in California, prompting the temporary closure of seal-viewing areas through the end of March. Researchers from UC Davis and UC Santa Cruz are intensifying monitoring of the park’s roughly 5,000-seal breeding colony to understand transmission and outcomes, with the virus's source and spread still unknown as wildlife agencies coordinate responses.

via The Guardian|

#ano-nuevo-state-park #avian-influenza #california-wildlife

science4 months ago•4 min saved

New H5N1 Outbreak Reaches California Elephant Seals at Año Nuevo

Researchers confirm H5N1 bird flu in California elephant seals at Año Nuevo, marking the first known infection in the state’s elephant seals; seven of the dead pups tested positive as part of ongoing surveillance that has counted about 30 seal deaths since the outbreak began. Officials say the outbreak likely stems from sick seabirds, with mammal-to-mammal transmission under investigation; the park remains closed and beachgoers are urged to avoid wildlife.

via Los Angeles Times|

#california #elephant-seals #h5n1

science4 months ago•1 min saved

Avian Flu Reaches California Elephant Seals, First in Northern Population

A lethal avian influenza strain H5N1 has infected Northern elephant seals at Año Nuevo State Park, with seven pups testing positive and about 30 seals dead since late last week, marking the first documented cases in this population.

via The New York Times|

#bird-flu #california #elephant-seals

environment4 months ago•3 min saved

H5N1 bird flu detected in gentoo penguins on Australia’s Heard Island

The gentoo penguin on Heard Island is the first bird on an Australian territory to test positive for H5N1 bird flu, after earlier detections in southern elephant seals; while Australia says it remains free of H5N1 and ongoing detections do not greatly raise immediate risk, experts warn the virus poses a serious threat to wildlife and stress the need for heightened surveillance and preparedness as H5N1 continues to spread across sub-Antarctic islands.

via The Guardian|

#bird-flu #environment #gentoo-penguin

science4 months ago•6 min saved

Frozen Birds, Hidden Virus: Why Saving Them Can Be Harmful

The H5N1 avian influenza has become endemic in wild waterfowl, and cold conditions help the virus persist on ice. Public rescue of apparently stranded birds can be counterproductive, as birds may be suffering from infection or stress rather than distress that rescue would fix. Officials urge distancing, reporting dead or ill birds to authorities, and avoiding feeding to prevent crowding that amplifies transmission. The situation has broader implications for poultry losses and surveillance, underscoring that rescuing a single bird can complicate public health and wildlife monitoring.

via Indian Defence Review|

#avian-influenza #bird-feeding #h5n1