Australia to conduct biosecurity drill on avian influenza outbreak

8/9/2024 17:05

        Australia's ability to respond to an outbreak of a deadly strain of avian influenza will be tested on Monday in a major national exercise, the federal government said on Sunday.
        
        Australia is the only continent that has not recorded a case of the H5N1 strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza. According to the federal government, representatives from biosecurity agencies, environmental authorities and industry groups will meet on Monday to test Australia's response to the H5N1 strain.
        A global outbreak of H5N1 has caused the deaths of millions of birds as well as thousands of sea lions and elephant seals in South America. Experts have warned that it will inevitably reach Australia with the spring migration of birds to the country.