The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine has announced that it has confirmed Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (AI) H5N1 – also known as bird flu – (HPAI H5N1) in a white-tailed sea eagle near Tarbert, County Kerry.
The white-tailed sea eagle was submitted to the veterinary Laboratory in Limerick as part of the department’s wild bird Avian Influenza surveillance programme.
This is the same highly pathogenic strain detected last week in a peregrine falcon in Co. Galway.
Wild birds in Donegal and Offaly have also been confirmed positive for bird flu today, including both mute swans and whooper swans; and wild geese.
Commenting on these latest cases, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Charlie McConalogue said: “It is very unfortunate that this case has been detected in such a rare bird, but I would like to commend the work of the department’s wild bird AI surveillance programme.
“It is important that we remain vigilant, and I would also urge that flock owners should also be watchful. We should do everything that we can to ensure that potentially-infected wild birds do not have contact with domestic flocks,” the minister added.
Members of the public are being advised not to handle any dead birds. Instead, they should contact the local office for the department or the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre has confirmed that, although the H5N1 subtype can cause serious disease in poultry and other birds, no human infections with this virus have been reported worldwide and, therefore, the risk to humans is considered to be very low.
Properly cooked poultry and poultry products, including eggs, are considered safe to eat.
The department says that these latest findings of H5N1 in wild birds highlights the risk of introduction of avian influenza to the poultry sector.
As well as liaising with the NPWS, the department is also in contact with industry stakeholders to reiterate that strict bio-security measures are necessary to prevent the introduction of avian influenza into poultry and captive bird flocks.
Flock owners are advised to remain vigilant for any signs of disease in their flocks and report any disease suspicion to their nearest department veterinary office.