Wellington, July 16: A senior veterinary official has reported that a new strain of H5N1 avian influenza was detected in a wild seabird in New Zealand on Thursday. This raises concerns that the virus could become endemic in the country within a few months.
According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, Mary van Andel, Chief Veterinary Officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries, informed Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that if the virus spreads among wild animals, eradicating it will be challenging.
The H5 virus was confirmed in a seabird found at Petone Beach in the capital, Wellington. This marks the first case of the virus in New Zealand, which has been spreading among wild birds globally.
Professor Diane Brenton from the University of Auckland’s School of Biological Sciences stated, “New Zealand’s isolation will not prevent this deadly bird virus.” She noted that while there is currently no evidence of mass mortality among wild animals or transmission among New Zealand’s birds, the likelihood of H5N1 spreading here increases over time.
Van Andel mentioned that the virus can transmit from birds to humans, but such cases are rare and do not impact food safety.
Professor Gemma Geoghegan, a virologist at Otago University, indicated that New Zealand has been preparing for the arrival of this virus since its spread in Australia and worldwide.
Geoghegan emphasized the need for rapid testing of wild birds, genomic sequencing, and close monitoring.
As part of its preparedness efforts, the Department of Conservation has begun vaccinating 300 key breeding birds from New Zealand’s five most endangered species, including the Kakapo and Takahe.
Epidemiologist Nigel French from Massey University told RNZ that if the virus spreads, bird populations with small and endangered numbers—including the critically rare Fairy Tern—could face extinction.
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