Authorities Confirm Bird Flu in Fox and Suspect Case in Dolphin

H5 bird flu has reached a mammal in Victoria for the first time, with authorities confirming the virus in a dead red fox found near Torquay on the state’s Surf Coast. They also suspect the virus killed a dolphin found at Lorne.

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We have now confirmed H5 bird flu in a red fox recently found at Torquay collected through our ongoing surveillance and monitoring effort

Acting Chief Veterinary Officer Cameron Gunn said the fox was identified through ongoing surveillance. Authorities are not particularly concerned that infected foxes will spread the virus themselves. Gunn said wild foxes and other scavengers have generally not been shown to transmit the virus directly when infected. The greater risk, he said, is that they may move infected carcasses.

Victoria has recorded 212 positive bird cases from 892 investigations since June 20. The virus has been detected in species including greater crested terns, magpies and little penguins. A little penguin on Phillip Island died from H5 bird flu last month, and the state is now vaccinating the colony.

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Wild foxes and other scavenging pests have not generally been shown to spread the actual virus when they become infected

The dolphin discovery came a week after a dolphin on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula died from H5 bird flu. Victoria’s Chief Biodiversity Officer James Todd said infections in seals and dolphins were not unexpected, and warned that the virus could move into new species and other parts of the state. Authorities are focusing surveillance on high-risk areas, including the Mornington Peninsula, Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay and the Gippsland Lakes, as spring brings large bird gatherings around coastal estuaries, waterways and wetlands.

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Particularly as we head into the spring breeding season, where large numbers of birds typically flock and aggregate around, for example, coastal estuaries and inland waterways and wetlands

A dead bird found on Sydney’s northern beaches last week became the city’s first confirmed H5 case, bringing New South Wales’ total to 20. BirdLife Australia warned that the virus could spread rapidly, particularly threatening breeding colonies of endangered species. NSW announced a vaccination program in August, while Victoria has vaccinated about 1,000 little penguins. Todd said vaccinated penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda pier showed an immune response without adverse effects, but added that vaccination is not a complete solution.

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Of course, we know that vaccination is not a silver bullet