Avian Influenza outbreak in New Zealand

New Zealand has been on high alert for many months as the highly pathogenic H5 N1 strain of avian influenza (HPAI), which has been responsible for many millions of bird deaths worldwide, has been edging inexorably closer. Fears reached an acute crescendo in early December when a poultry farm in Otago reported suspicious deaths, but there was some relief when testing revealed that a different strain of HPAI was involved. The responsible strain, H7 N6, is also a highly pathogenic virus but this is believed to be a local, “spillover” event, where the free range poultry have been infected by a wild bird viral strain, with the virus then mutating into a more pathogenic strain while infection spreads among the poultry flock.

The New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) have acted swiftly to isolate the affected property and a culling policy has been instigated. At the time of writing, all of the four sheds on the property have tested positive for the virus and depopulation is well advanced. A total of 160,000 birds will be culled but  there is growing confidence that the outbreak has been contained with no reports of sick birds or positive tests on other properties. 

Over the last few months the H5 N1strain of the virus has been reported in Australia and the Antarctic peninsula. Migrating birds, particularly waterfowl and marine species are the usual sources of initial infection. Outbreaks of other strains are far from uncommon internationally; there was a recent outbreak of HPAI H5N5 in England in November. But this is the first reported outbreak of HPAI in New Zealand and the country's unique range of avian species, which include some of the rarest birds on the planet, remain vulnerable to an outbreak of HPAI of any strain. Intense monitoring and quarantine will remain in place until it is certain that this outbreak has been fully controlled.

MPI have emphasised that the risk to humans from this infection is extremely low.

For further information on this recent outbreak see:  https://www.mpi.govt.nz/biosecurity/exotic-pests-and-diseases-in-new-zealand/active-biosecurity-responses-to-pests-and-diseases/a-strain-of-bird-flu-h7n6-in-otago/