SYDNEY: The Australian government announced on Sunday an additional commitment of A$95 million (USD $64.13 million) to strengthen its defences against a highly destructive bird flu strain, H5N1, which has devastated bird and mammal populations across the world but has not yet reached Australia’s shores.
This funding is aimed at safeguarding Australia’s agriculture sector from the global outbreak of H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b avian influenza. Since emerging in Asia, Europe, and Africa in 2020, the strain has caused the deaths of hundreds of millions of birds and tens of thousands of mammals. Its spread has disrupted ecosystems and had a severe impact on the agricultural industry.
Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry Minister Julie Collins said the new funding is part of broader efforts to bolster Australia’s biosecurity, with the government investing over A$1 billion to protect the country’s agriculture sector.
“This strain of avian influenza presents a real and significant threat to Australia’s agriculture sector,” Collins stated in a press release. She emphasized the importance of national preparedness to mitigate potential damage.
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Australia remains one of the last regions untouched by the H5N1 strain, largely due to its geographical isolation. The country lies outside the migration routes of large birds, such as geese, that are known carriers of the virus.
However, the virus’s spread to nearby regions, including Indonesia in 2022 and Antarctica last year, has heightened concerns.
Scientists warn that smaller migratory shorebirds traveling to Australia during the Southern Hemisphere’s spring, from September to November, could bring the virus to the continent.
Earlier this year, Australia experienced three outbreaks of bird flu involving different strains, but none were the H5N1 variety. Minister Collins highlighted these incidents as a reminder of the importance of sustained investment in biosecurity and national preparedness.
