New Zealand Biosafety Minister Andrew Hoggard reported on Wednesday that a migratory seabird was found on a beach near the capital Wellington and tested positive for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, the country's first case of infection with the virus. The infected bird this time is the brown whistling gull. Australia just detected the virus last month, and Oceania became the last continent in the world where the strain appeared. Since 2021, the highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza virus has spread widely among wild birds and mammals, causing the death of millions of animals. A large number of poultry and dairy farms have been affected, and some farm workers have also been infected. In a statement, Hogard said, “There are currently no signs of large-scale deaths of wild animals in New Zealand, and no transmission of the virus among wild birds has been detected. Poultry farms have not yet detected the virus.” New Zealand had previously deployed measures to deal with H5N1 avian influenza in advance, and worked with the poultry industry to formulate biosafety prevention and control plans and risk response plans.

New Zealand Biosafety Minister Andrew Hoggard reported on Wednesday that a migratory seabird was found on a beach near the capital Wellington and tested positive for H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza, the country's first case of infection with the virus. The infected bird this time is the brown whistling gull. Australia just detected the virus last month, and Oceania became the last continent in the world where the strain appeared. Since 2021, the highly pathogenic H5 avian influenza virus has spread widely among wild birds and mammals, causing the death of millions of animals. A large number of poultry and dairy farms have been affected, and some farm workers have also been infected. In a statement, Hogard said, “There are currently no signs of large-scale deaths of wild animals in New Zealand, and no transmission of the virus among wild birds has been detected. Poultry farms have not yet detected the virus.” New Zealand had previously deployed measures to deal with H5N1 avian influenza in advance, and worked with the poultry industry to formulate biosafety prevention and control plans and risk response plans.