The first case of H5 bird flu on the Northern Beaches has been confirmed in a greater crested tern in Warriewood. Council is hopeful that the virus will not impact our area significantly, but said that it may be unavoidable and we should prepare for the worst.
H5 bird flu is a viral disease of birds that is found globally and spreads mostly through direct contact with infected animals, their droppings or bodily fluids, as well as indirectly via contaminated surfaces, equipment, vehicles, water or dust.
Council is using its Incident Management Team to coordinate a response across waste, cleansing, biodiversity, health and safety, environmental health, customer service, and other impacted internal teams.
It also identifying high-risk biodiversity areas and mitigation measures, planning for clean-up, training staff, stocking PPE, liaising with waste contractors, and reviewing procedures.
Council advises the community to report sick or dead birds and to take photos and video footage.
Report multiple sick or dead birds or other animals to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 from anywhere in Australia. If there are multiple birds or they are in a location such as a public playground, please also report to the council on 1300 434 434.
To help slow the spread of H5, don’t touch sick or dead wildlife, keep cats indoors, and prevent dogs from having contact with wildlife. Do not feed wild birds, as gatherings might increase risks.
If you have chickens or other poultry, strengthen biosecurity measures to protect them. Prevent wild birds from mixing with poultry or accessing their feed and water, keep enclosures and equipment clean, practice good hand hygiene and closely monitor birds for signs of illness or sudden death.
The NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development in partnership with the Australian Government, leads the response to any detection of H5 bird flu in NSW.
For more information on bird flu and the state response visit their webpage.