在澳大利亚最偏远的自然保护区之一的野生动物体内检测到了一种致命的禽流感毒株。在位于塔斯马尼亚东南约1500公里的麦夸里岛上的一头南象海豹和一只太平洋鸥体内检测到了H5禽流感。这是该岛首次检测到这种致命的病毒毒株。
A deadly strain of bird flu has been detected in wildlife on one of Australia’s most remote conservation areas. H5 avian flu was detected in a southern elephant seal and kelp gull on Macquarie Island, about 1500 km southeast of Tasmania. It is the first time the deadly strain of the virus has been detected on the island.
澳大利亚首席兽医官贝丝·库克森表示，没有证据表明澳大利亚存在H5禽流感在哺乳动物之间的传播，对人类的风险仍然很低。“澳大利亚家禽或农业生产系统中仍然没有检测到该病毒，”她说。“麦夸里岛由塔斯马尼亚管辖，这些检测结果将被记入塔斯马尼亚的H5禽流感报告中。”
Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson said there was no evidence of mammal-to-mammal transmission of H5 bird flu in Australia and the risk to humans remained low. “There remain no detections in Australian poultry or in our agricultural production system,” she said. “Macquarie Island is administered as part of Tasmania, and these results will be recorded as part of Tasmania’s H5 bird flu reporting.”
塔斯马尼亚环境与气候变化部长盖伊·巴内特表示，样本是从驻扎在麦夸里岛的工作人员带回的一头南象海豹和一只太平洋鸥身上采集的。“随后（它们）的检测结果显示H5禽流感呈阳性，”他说。“这是塔斯马尼亚首次在海洋哺乳动物中记录到检测呈阳性。”
Tasmania’s Environment and Climate Change Minister Guy Barnett said samples were collected from a southern elephant seal and kelp gull that were returned with workers stationed on Macquarie Island. “Subsequently (they) tested returned a positive result for H5 bird flu,” he said. “This is the first recorded detection in a marine mammal in Tasmania.”
今年8月，由于担心H5禽流感可能爆发，数十名工作人员被告知他们将在今年春天从麦夸里岛撤离。澳大利亚的破冰研究和补给船“努伊纳”号（RSV Nuyina）正在驶往该岛，以撤离驻扎在麦夸里岛的澳大利亚工作人员。
In August, dozens of workers were told they would be evacuated from Macquarie Island this spring over fears of a potential outbreak of H5 bird flu. Australia’s icebreaking research and supply vessel, RSV Nuyina, is traveling to the island to evacuate Australian workers stationed at Macquarie Island.
科学家担心，今年繁殖季节期间，该岛发生大规模死亡事件的可能性很高。象海豹对H5禽流感易感，在位于赫德岛和麦克唐纳群岛的其他亚南极澳大利亚领地，幼崽的死亡率高达90%。
Scientists fear there is a high chance of a significant mortality event on the Island during this year’s breeding season. Elephant seals are susceptible to H5 bird flu, with a 90 per cent mortality rate seen in pups on other sub-Antarctic Australian territories at Heard Island and McDonald Island.