Wellington, New Zealand: New Zealand increased its bird flu readiness after Australia confirmed highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza in a wild seabird in Western Australia.
Australia, whose capital is Canberra, confirmed the virus in a brown skua found sick in southern Western Australia on June 14, according to its agriculture department.
Officials said a nearby giant petrel returned a suspected positive result and was undergoing further testing.
Australian authorities said they had found no poultry cases and no evidence of abnormal mass bird deaths.
New Zealand Biosecurity and Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard said agencies had strengthened surveillance across departments.
Hoggard said New Zealand’s isolation had given the country time to prepare since H5N1 began spreading globally.
He said New Zealand remained in close contact with Australian authorities as the situation developed.
New Zealand officials said wild birds could still bring the virus into the country. They said eradication would be unlikely if it became established in native bird populations. Authorities said bird flu poses no food safety risk and remains a low risk to human health.
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Officials urged farmers, backyard poultry owners and people outdoors to keep strict biosecurity practices and report unusual clusters of sick or dead birds.
