New Zealand Confirms First Case of H5N1 Avian Influenza

New Zealand has confirmed its first case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza after the virus was detected in a migrating brown booby found on a beach near Wellington. Authorities have begun vaccinating the country's most vulnerable bird species in response.

Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard said there is no evidence of mass wildlife die-offs or sustained transmission among wild birds. The virus has also not been detected at any commercial poultry farms.

New Zealand has been preparing for the virus's arrival in cooperation with the poultry industry. The vaccination program will cover 300 birds from five of the country's most vulnerable species, including the flightless takahē and kākāpō.

Since 2021, H5N1 has spread among wild birds and mammals worldwide, killing millions of animals and affecting both poultry and dairy farms. The virus was also detected in Australia last month.

Professor Brett Gartrell of Massey University warned that avian influenza could push some critically endangered species closer to extinction. He said New Zealand's birdlife has never faced a comparable threat and cautioned that vaccination alone may not be enough if the virus spreads rapidly.

(Reuters, bak)