Bird droppings worry people in SA town with bird flu

By Aiden McNamara

ABC South East SA

Topic: Avian Influenza

Hilary Nicholson wants the bird poop cleared from the public Port MacDonnell dock area today. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

In short:

Port MacDonnell locals are worried about a lot of bird poop in public places.

Some people think the waste could be a health danger and want more cleaning.

What's next?

SA Health says the chance of people getting sick from bird flu is still low.

A small dock in Port MacDonnell has long been covered in bird poop.

The dirty paint, made by nature, was once just ugly, but the spread of deadly bird flu now worries some locals.

"We are a bit worried about the bird poop on the dock where we fish every day," said Jennifer Cleary of the Port MacDonnell Offshore Angling Club.

Jennifer Cleary also said the open fish cleaning area is not clean enough. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

Ms Cleary said many people come to the dock, often with dogs, and she fears the virus could change and affect people.

A hot topic at the forum

Can people catch bird flu from eggs or milk? Can it kill you? Here is what we know about bird flu in people.

Last week, Ms Cleary was one of about 80 people at a bird flu information meeting in the local community centre.

A few residents asked about bird poop, wanting reassurance about the risk if droppings got into rainwater collected from roofs.

State officials showed slides, maps and data, but a missing SA Health speaker left some questions unanswered.

About 80 people went to the Bird Flu Community Forum in Port MacDonnell. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

SA Health recently said the risk to people from bird flu stays low.

"Rainwater should be collected in good tanks from well‑kept roofs and kept away from small animals like birds, even with avian flu," it said.

Only a small number of people worldwide have ever caught bird flu, but worries about touching it or indirect exposure cause local anxiety.

Resident Hilary Nicholson, also in the offshore angling club, shared fears that bird flu could spread to people and asked for regular cleaning of places with droppings.

Hilary Nicholson says there is a lot of bird poop in a busy area. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

"Right now, we have nothing," Mr Nicholson said.

The SA government has teams on the Limestone Coast that collect dead birds, but cleaning bird poop is not part of their work.

"We keep doing our normal cleaning as usual," local Mayor Kylie Boston said.

Mayor Kylie Boston says cleaning bird poop is not in the bird flu plan. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

Human health risk 'incredibly small'

Adelaide University expert Adrian Esterman studies if H5‑N1 could change and affect people.

"At the moment, it is not," Professor Esterman said.

"No one has caught it from touching a bird dropping or anything like that."

"Touching a dropping on the street will not infect you unless you foolishly put your finger in your mouth afterwards."

Professor Esterman says our stomach acid can destroy the bird flu virus. (Supplied)

He added that for most people, without contact with dead birds or sick animals, the risk is "almost zero".

He explained that droppings that might carry disease could land on roofs or gutters, but the amount is not a cause for alarm.

"If you drink it, your stomach acid will kill the virus."

The expert said the only possible problem with tank water is for very old or weak‑immune people living there.

"Then you might think about cleaning the water supply," he said.

Away from the dock, at a local park full of seagulls, visitor Lyndon Hampel said he tries to stay away from any bird poop on public benches.

Lyndon Hampel came to Port MacDonnell from Loxton. (ABC South East SA: Aiden McNamara)

"We would be worried if there was bird poop right there… but not because of bird flu," said the Loxton visitor.

"Just because the poop is there, I guess."

If you see a sick or dead bird, take a photo or video if you can and call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline at 1800 675 888.

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