Australia is launching a six-week national H5 bird flu awareness campaign after 652 confirmed cases were recorded across the country and more than 51,000 calls were made to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.
The “Bird flu. Know what to do” campaign will run across television, radio and social media, with the Federal Government aiming to improve public understanding of how to respond to sick or dead birds and what to do if pets come into contact with them.
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said better public awareness would strengthen Australia’s response to the outbreak. She confirmed there was no evidence of bird flu infections in the country’s poultry or agriculture systems, while the risk to human health remained low.
“We are investing now more than $270 million to help safeguard Australia against the impact of the H5 bird flu,” Ms Collins said.
She said Australia needed to be as prepared as “we possibly can be”, pointing to the consequences faced by other countries dealing with outbreaks. Ms Collins added that detecting the disease from the moment it arrived and tracking its spread demonstrated the strength of Australia’s biosecurity system.
Bird flu cases recorded across Australia
South Australia has recorded 319 cases and Victoria 208, accounting for most of the national total. New South Wales has reported 67, Tasmania 45 and Western Australia 10, while one case has been recorded in Queensland and one in Jervis Bay and other territories.
A $2 million vaccination programme supported by the states and territories has reached almost 10,000 native birds, Ms Collins said in an update on Sunday. She warned, however, that the protection provided by the injections was not permanent and that birds required two doses.
Species selected for vaccination include Carnaby, Baudin and Forest Red-tailed black cockatoos in Western Australia, along with little penguins near Phillip Island and St Kilda in Victoria.
Western Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis unveiled a display at the Perth Royal Show explaining how people can protect pets, backyard poultry and wildlife. She said more than 5,000 reports from the state had been made to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.
People who see sick or dead birds or marine mammals have been advised not to approach or handle them. They should record the location, take photographs or video if possible, and report the sighting to the hotline on 1800 675 888.
