‘Early part of that curve’: Mass mortality feared as bird flu cases surge

A further 20 cases of H5N1 bird flu have been recorded nationwide, and several more are likely to be confirmed soon, in signs the deadly virus has taken root in Australia.

There have now been 53 cases recorded overall.

In its latest update, the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry confirmed a further 19 birds from Kangaroo Island and the south-east coast of South Australia had tested positive.

On Saturday morning, the disease was also found in a silver gull at Robe in the state’s south-east.

“All of these have been wild seabirds found in coastal locations,” a spokesperson said. “There remain no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system.”

The tests were confirmed at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Australians are now being warned to brace for mass deaths in seabird colonies and marine mammals, as the infectious disease spreads.

While the risk to human health from the virus remains low, experts have concerns for the impacts the virus will have on the nation’s seabird colonies – and as such wider ecosystems – as well as the poultry industry. In 2024, a different strain of bird flu led to authorities killing 2 million chickens, disrupting egg supplies.

The latest government update has come less than 48 hours after this variant of the virus was detected in Victoria for the first time, in a dead seagull in the southwestern town of Portland.

Burnet Institute chief health officer Suman Majumdar said a confirmed case in a seagull was significant.

“Gulls move between beaches, wetlands, farmland and urban areas, which could carry the virus into a much wider range of wildlife, poultry and environments,” he said.

Associate Professor Majumdar said overseas experiences with this strain suggested Australia should expect further spread along coastlines, mass mortality events in seabird colonies and marine mammals, and rising detections in the weeks ahead.

“What we are seeing now is the early part of that curve,” he said.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins vowed to do everything she could to help protect Australia’s wildlife, agricultural industries and the national economy.

More to come

With AAP