Australian disease centre ramps up bird flu surveillance

Scientists, industry and government are “all preparing for the potential introduction of H5N1 into Australia”

Australian scientists have said that the risk of a “highly pathogenic” strain of bird flu entering the country has put them on high alert.

In a media briefing on 15 July, researchers from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness said they had ramped up a surveillance programme that monitors wild birds.