Wellington, July 16 (IANS). After a new strain of H5N1 avian influenza was found in a wild seabird in New Zealand on Thursday, it is likely to become an endemic disease in the country within months, a senior veterinary official said.
Mary van Andel, chief veterinary officer at the Ministry for Primary Industries, told Radio New Zealand (RNZ) that if the virus spread to wild animals, it would be difficult to eradicate it, Xinhua news agency reported.
On Wednesday, H5 virus was confirmed in a sea bird found on Petone Beach in the capital Wellington. This is the first case in New Zealand of this virus that has spread among wild birds around the world.
“New Zealand’s isolation will not stop this deadly bird virus,” said Professor Dianne Brunton, from the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Auckland. He said that although there is currently no evidence of mass die-off of wild animals or its spread among New Zealand’s birds, H5N1 is likely to spread here over time.
Van Andel said the virus can spread from birds to humans, but such cases are very rare and do not affect food safety.
Otago University virologist Professor Gemma Geoghegan said New Zealand had been preparing for its arrival since the virus spread in Australia and around the world.
Geoghegan said rapid testing, genomic sequencing and close monitoring of wild birds will be necessary.
As part of the preparations, the Department of Conservation has started vaccinating 300 main breeding birds of New Zealand’s five most endangered species (including the kakapo and takahe).
Massey University epidemiologist Nigel French told RNZ that if the virus spreads, small and endangered bird populations – including the extremely rare fairy tern – could become extinct.
–IANS
PIM/PM
