The federal government has announced a $95 million preparedness fund to tackle the predicted arrival of a deadly strain of bird flu. The package will go towards the government’s biosecurity response, surveillance and other environmental protection measures.
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00:00The $95 million announced by the federal government will be used to prevent this deadly strain
00:08of bird flu from entering Australia or reducing the impact if it does happen to enter Australia.
00:14Now, Australia is the only continent that has had no cases of the deadly H5N1 strain
00:21of bird flu.
00:22We have had other strains enter Australia.
00:25We've had three strains, which has caused the death of more than two million chickens.
00:30It's also had other impacts, such as creating an egg shortage across the nation.
00:36So it is quite a serious thing, this new strain of bird flu.
00:40Now, the package will go towards the government's biosecurity response.
00:46It will also go towards a surveillance program to monitor wild birds and other environmental
00:52things like protecting threatened species as well.
00:56So the government is taking no chances when it comes to this new strain of bird flu.
01:01The agriculture minister spoke a little earlier this morning, and here's what she had to say.
01:07We are currently the only continent without the H5 bird flu.
01:12It would come into Australia through migrating birds.
01:15We have no control over that at our borders.
01:17This is important to make sure that if the disease comes into Australia, that we get
01:21it as early as possible so that we can manage and contain the disease.
01:27Now it is also important to note that it's not just birds that this disease can impact.
01:33In Vietnam, not that long ago, about a dozen tigers died after eating a contaminated chicken
01:41from the disease.
01:42Now it can also impact humans.
01:44It can cause serious infection in people as well as death.
01:49The government is taking no chances here.
01:52We have seen the deadly effects of the other strains that have already entered Australia,
01:57and they're on high alert for this new strain.