Tag

H5n1

All articles tagged with #h5n1

environment1 day ago•3 min saved

Australia launches world's largest wild-penguin vaccination drive against bird flu

Victoria is vaccinating wild little penguins against H5N1 bird flu, with over 1,000 birds receiving their first dose as part of what officials say could be the world’s largest such program; about 5,000 penguins on Phillip Island and nearby areas will receive two doses, administered after trapping and weighing the birds, with a second dose due in three weeks, as biosecurity efforts continue alongside a broader wildlife protection plan.

via The Guardian|

#bird-flu #environment #h5n1

health1 day ago•10 min saved

Backyard bird feeding risks turning feeders into bird-flu hotspots

Backyard bird feeding is popular in Australia, but it can create hotspots for the H5N1 bird flu, potentially spreading among wild birds, scavengers, and even mammals in the region; experts advise either stopping feeding altogether or taking precautions—feed less to reduce congregation, avoid hand-feeding, clean feeders with domestic bleach, and report sick or dead wildlife to authorities.

via The Conversation|

#backyard-bird-feeding #bird-flu #disease-transmission

environment7 days ago•10 min saved

Australia’s wild penguin vaccination drive targets bird flu in thousands of penguins

Victoria is rolling out what officials call the world’s largest wild-bird vaccination program, aiming to vaccinate more than 5,000 little penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda against H5N1 bird flu with a two-dose vaccine. The effort, plus vaccination of some captive birds in New Zealand and Australian zoos, uses an inactivated vaccine that requires boosters to raise antibody levels. Vaccines reduce disease impact and transmission but aren’t foolproof, and the virus will continue to evolve, necessitating ongoing vaccine development amid climate-change pressures on wildlife.

via theconversation.com|

#bird-flu #environment #h5n1

environment15 days ago•2 min saved

Australia launches H5N1 vaccine drive to shield vulnerable native birds

Australia will begin a targeted vaccination program against H5N1 for native birds, prioritizing vulnerable species and those in captivity, using AU$2 million worth of vaccines (about 1,500 vials) with rollout managed by states and territories. Each bird will receive two doses, and the effort aims to protect high-risk wildlife as the outbreak continues, while human risk remains low.

via BBC|

#australia #bird-flu #conservation

health22 days ago•2 min saved

Australia braces for wider H5N1 spread after seabird die-off near Adelaide

Australia warns that H5N1 bird flu is likely to spread after the first mass seabird die-off off Cape Jaffa near Adelaide, with testing confirming the virus in 49 dead and 35 sick greater crested terns. There’s no evidence of farm infections yet, but officials expect more wildlife cases as birds move. Measures include stronger biosecurity, shore-bird testing, vaccination of vulnerable species, and war-gaming response plans. While the global outbreak has caused mass wildlife deaths and financial losses, the human risk remains low for now.

via Al Jazeera|

#australia #biosecurity #bird-flu

environment24 days ago•10 min saved

Wildlife in Australia Under Threat as H5N1 Bird Flu Spreads

Australia is contending with a worsening H5N1 bird flu outbreak in wildlife, with 53 confirmed detections across five states (SA accounts for 39), including mass seabird mortality and suspected inland transmission near Seal Bay. While there are no poultry detections yet, the risk is rising, prompting stronger surveillance, farm biosecurity measures, and consideration of vaccination for vulnerable wildlife. Officials urge the public not to touch sick or dead birds, record sightings, and report them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888.

via The Conversation|

#australia-wildlife #biosecurity #bird-flu

environment1 month ago•7 min saved

New Zealand Vaccinates Endangered Birds to Shield Them From Bird Flu

New Zealand confirmed two live birds infected with the H5N1 bird flu, prompting a rapid vaccination program for about 300 breeding pairs of five critically endangered native species (notably kakāpō and takahē) to reduce extinction risk. Kiwi is excluded from the first phase due to population size. Authorities are also enforcing biosecurity measures at colonies and testing wildlife as the virus spreads, with mass culling as a potential option if an outbreak escalates. The outcome for native species remains uncertain as experts monitor the situation.

via CNN|

#bird-flu #conservation #environment

environment1 month ago•3 min saved

New Zealand Detects First H5N1 Bird Flu Case, Puts Native Birds at Risk

New Zealand has confirmed its first H5N1 bird flu case in a wild brown skua on a Wellington beach. Authorities report no current mass wildlife deaths or wild-to-wild transmission and have a national surveillance program plus a vaccination effort for five endangered species in captivity, including kākāpō and takahē. Scientists warn some native species, especially colonial shorebirds, could be highly vulnerable, making this a major conservation and cultural concern for the country.

via The Guardian|

#bird-flu #conservation #environment

science2 months 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

world2 months 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

science2 months 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

environment2 months 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

world2 months 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

world2 months 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

health2 months 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