Bird flu has been confirmed at Beaumaris on Tasmania’s east coast, with a crested tern testing positive for the H5 strain.
It is the 25th bird flu event recorded in Tasmania and the second in the state’s north-east, according to NRE Tasmania.
Incident Controller Wes Ford said community reports were playing an important role in helping authorities track the spread of the disease.
“Community reports help inform our surveillance activities and allow us to better monitor how the disease is moving across Tasmania,” Ford said.
NRE Tasmania is continuing surveillance and testing across the state.
The department has moved from reporting individual positive detections to reporting events, in line with national bird flu reporting requirements.
“A bird flu event is one or more confirmed cases of bird flu at the same location,” Ford said.
“Whether one bird tests positive or several birds test positive at the same location, it is counted as one event.”
Ford said it was no longer necessary or practical to test every bird, animal or species in areas where the disease had already been confirmed.
He urged pet owners to help limit the spread by keeping cats indoors or in enclosures, keeping dogs away from sick or dead wildlife and preventing contact between wild birds and poultry.
There have been no detections in Tasmanian poultry and chicken meat and eggs remain safe to eat.
Anyone who sees sick or dead birds or other wildlife should avoid contact, record what they see and report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
