新南威尔士州周六确认第五例禽流感病例，病毒在一只大凤头燕鸥死体中被检测到[1]。面对这一威胁，州政府已将小企鹅和极度濒危的摄政蜜雀列为疫苗接种的优先物种[1]。
维多利亚州计划在菲利普岛为5000只小企鹅接种疫苗，但已有一只企鹅因禽流感死亡[1]。野生摄政蜜雀的存活数量不足400只[1]。南澳大利亚本月早前发生至少50只同类鸟类死亡的大规模事件[1]，凸显了疫情的严重性。
禽流感专家Dr Ariful Islam指出："疫苗不是灵丹妙药。疫苗不能成为控制病毒的唯一手段"[1]。B3.2型H5禽流感在六个月内沿南美洲西海岸传播，随后进入亚南极地区[1]。科学家警告，多种野生动物和海洋哺乳动物面临大规模死亡的风险[1]。
New South Wales authorities confirmed the state's fifth case of avian flu on Saturday, with the virus detected in the remains of a crested tern. [1] The discovery has prompted government intervention to protect two particularly vulnerable species through vaccination programs amid growing concerns about potential wildlife catastrophe.
Victoria is preparing to vaccinate approximately 5,000 little penguins at Phillip Island, though one penguin has already died from the virus. [1] NSW has designated little penguins and the critically endangered regent honeyeater, with fewer than 400 individuals remaining in the wild, as priority vaccination candidates. [1] The urgency reflects the scale of risk across the region: South Australia experienced a mass die-off of at least 50 crested terns earlier this month. [1]
However, experts caution that vaccination alone cannot contain the outbreak. Dr. Ariful Islam stated: "Vaccine is not a silver bullet. The vaccine cannot be the sole means of controlling the virus." [1] Scientists warn that multiple wild animal and marine mammal species face the prospect of mass mortality events. [1] The B3.2 strain of H5 avian flu spread along South America's western coast within six months before reaching sub-Antarctic regions. [1]