South Australia will change the way it reports H5 bird flu cases from Monday, August 17, moving away from counting individual infected birds and towards tracking separate disease events across the state.
The move comes as another 24 wild birds have tested positive for H5 bird flu, bringing South Australia’s total confirmed detections to 265 since the virus was first identified in the state on June 24.
Under the nationally agreed reporting framework, an “event” may involve a single bird or a large number of birds in the same location or population.
Events will be recorded as positive, suspect or negative depending on testing results, with authorities placing greater emphasis on where the virus is appearing, which species are affected and whether new patterns are emerging.
A new interactive map will also launch on the bird flu SA website from Monday, showing H5 bird flu activity across South Australia since the outbreak began.
Primary Industries and Regional Development Minister Clare Scriven said the change would allow authorities to focus testing and surveillance on information that could reveal new risks.
“As bird flu becomes more widespread across Australia, continued testing of large numbers of birds from established infected populations provides limited additional useful information,” Minister Scriven said.
“It is important that surveillance efforts focus on identifying new risks and emerging issues, rather than confirming what is already known.”
The latest confirmed cases include 18 greater crested terns across Padthaway, Port MacDonnell, Southend, Carpenter Rocks and Middleton.
Three silver gulls from Port MacDonnell, Middleton and Victor Harbor have also tested positive, along with two black-faced cormorants from Carpenter Rocks and a peregrine falcon from Kohinoor on Kangaroo Island.
Another five suspect cases are awaiting confirmation, including birds from Port MacDonnell, North Haven and Tanunda. There are currently 39 suspect cases across the state.
Authorities are also assessing whether vaccination could be suitable for some priority threatened species held in accredited facilities including Zoos South Australia and Cleland Wildlife Park.
Vaccinating wild birds remains difficult because available bird flu vaccines require multiple doses, making widespread vaccination of free-living wildlife impractical.
Any vaccination program for eligible captive or wild species would require assessment and approval from relevant Commonwealth and state authorities.
There continue to be no H5 bird flu detections in poultry or other livestock, and authorities say the risk to human health remains low.
South Australians are being urged not to touch sick or dead birds or other wildlife. Sightings should instead be recorded and reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
