In short
- 5 suspected H5 hen flu instances had been recorded in South Australia on Monday, together with a long-nosed fur seal.
- 5,000 little penguins in Victoria are receiving a vaccine to guard them towards the lethal virus.
Chook flu has possible unfold to a second seal, at some point after the primary mammal in Australia was confirmed to have contracted the virus.
5 suspected H5 hen flu instances had been recorded in South Australia on Monday, together with a long-nosed fur seal at The Pages Conservation Park, the state’s Division of Main Industries and Areas mentioned in an announcement on Monday morning.
The Pages — which covers two small islands between Kangaroo Island and the mainland — is a haven for the endangered Australian sea lion.
The fur seal has been examined for hen flu, with outcomes anticipated within the coming days.
The first constructive case of the virus in a mammal was confirmed on Sunday in a long-nosed fur seal at Beachport, 300km south of Adelaide, which authorities believed was contracted from wild birds.
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Earlier than the brand new case was introduced, Atmosphere Minister Murray Watt mentioned the unfold from birds to mammals was inevitable and the federal government was inspecting whether or not additional vaccination applications had been wanted.
“We’re more likely to see mass mortalities of birds and mammals, and I do know that may be a very distressing factor for Australians to listen to. However we additionally must be lifelike,” he advised ABC TV on Monday.
“That is what we have seen occur abroad. Australia could be very lucky that we have been the final continent on Earth to have this pressure of hen flu occur. However we’re more likely to see these form of occasions as we’ve abroad.”
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins mentioned the federal authorities was investigating whether or not hen flu vaccines had been obtainable to be used in mammals.
“There are trials underway in North America, in California and Hawaii, and that is utilizing a vaccine that is been developed for cattle,” she advised ABC radio.
“There actually is nothing commercially obtainable, however we do proceed to have a look at that analysis.”
Chook flu vaccinations have been rolled out to at-risk species, together with the little penguins on Victoria’s Phillip Island.
Many had been corralled into pens to obtain the primary of two vaccinations on Sunday evening.
With case numbers on the rise, authorities have stepped in to do what they’ll to defend the 5,000-strong colony.
The penguins’ nightly ritual of returning to the identical burrow, alongside the identical path, made them preferrred candidates for vaccination, Phillip Island Nature Parks reserve supervisor Ben Thomas mentioned.
As a world-first in scale, the method has taken some experimentation and fine-tuning.
“We have had our groups out late into the evening for per week now and studying rather a lot alongside the method,” Thomas mentioned.
“We began on a few of the quieter penguin pathways to fine-tune the entire course of and get it working as rapidly as we are able to, so we are able to course of as many penguins as we are able to every evening.
“We have now moved to the western finish of the penguin parade, the place the bigger numbers are, and it is working rather well.”
An additional 600 penguins had been vaccinated over the weekend, taking the entire quantity which have obtained a primary dose at Phillip Island and St Kilda to about 1,000.
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