81843 (2024). Hon Jo Luxton to the Minister for Biosecurity

81843 (2024). Hon Jo Luxton to the Minister for Biosecurity: How does the Minister assess the potential for H5N1 to evolve over time, particularly in the context of mutations that may make the virus more transmissible or virulent, and what strategies are in place to monitor and respond to these changes?

Hon Andrew Hoggard: I am advised that Biosecurity New Zealand has been actively monitoring offshore reporting about HPAI A(H5N1) since early 2022. Alongside geographic spread and changes in infection dynamics, this has included monitoring and reporting about known mutations of the virus and potential risks about future mutations which may increase the transmissibility of H5N1.