澳大利亚政府宣布向野生动物推出H5N1禽流感疫苗接种计划[1]。农业部长朱莉·柯林斯表示，政府已采购价值200万澳元、约1500支疫苗，用于初期接种工作，重点保护圈养野生动物中风险最高的物种[1]。柯林斯指出，"我们一直以来都很清楚，我们无法阻止H5N1在野生鸟类中传播，但我们可以采取行动保护风险最大的物种"[1]。
H5N1病毒首次在2024年6月由来自南极的海鸟传入澳大利亚[1]，之后在全国确诊检测超过200例[1]。最近在新南威尔士州西部默累河和达令河交汇处的维多利亚州边境发现了首例内陆病例[1]。政府强调，H5N1对人类健康的风险仍然较低，澳大利亚的家禽和农业系统尚未被感染[1]。
The Australian government has confirmed plans to vaccinate wildlife against H5N1 avian influenza, with Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announcing the purchase of approximately 1,500 vaccine doses valued at AUD 2 million for an initial immunization program [1]. The vaccination effort will prioritize captive wild animal species facing the highest risk from the virus [1].
Collins emphasized the government's recognition that containment efforts alone cannot halt H5N1 transmission among wild birds, stating: "We've been very clear that we cannot stop the [H5N1] … spreading amongst wild birds. But we can take action to protect the species most at risk" [1]. Despite the virus's documented presence in Australia, officials have stressed that the health risk to humans remains low, and the country's domestic poultry and agricultural systems have not yet been infected [1].
The H5N1 virus first appeared in Australia in June 2024, detected in seabirds from Antarctica [1]. Since then, confirmed cases have exceeded 200 detections nationwide, including the first inland outbreak in western New South Wales near the Murray-Darling confluence at the Victoria border [1].