No Further H5 Bird Flu Detections in NZ, MPI Confirms

MPI's chief veterinary officer, Dr Mary van Andel, says the Ministry thanks the public for their vigilance.

She says specialist investigators have been out at Petone beach and have found nothing of further concern.

"It is not unusual at this time of year to find individual dead birds of different breeds along our coastlines, due to storms and other natural events," van Andel says.

To date, there has been one single coastal detection in an individual ocean-going seabird and there is no evidence of any mass mortality in wildlife or transmission between wild birds in New Zealand, she says.

She adds that thus far, there has been no detection in poultry.

"We already have a well-established surveillance programme that includes wildlife sanctuary notifications, zoos, along with poultry industry and vet notification, and of course the public," she says.

"Over the past 12 months, through surveillance and monitoring activities in wild birds, more than 2,500 wild birds and 12,500 commercial poultry were tested.

"We are continuing to ask the community to remain vigilant and report any sick or dead birds in a group of three or more."

What People Can Do

If you see three or more sick or dead wild birds in a group, report it immediately to the exotic pest and disease hotline on 0800 80 99 66 from anywhere in New Zealand or report online at report.mpi.govt.nz  – if you use this method, select the ‘dead or dying wild birds’ option from the dropdown list and then the type of bird you have found.

Don’t handle or move the birds. 

Provide as much detail as you can, including:

• common name or species of sick or dead bird if known
• how many are sick or freshly dead, and the total number of birds present
• a GPS reading or other precise location information
• photographs and videos of sick and dead birds

More information about H5 bird flu and the work New Zealand is doing to prepare is available at mpi.govt.nz/hpai.