Anthony Albanese says Australia’s first mainland case of deadly H5N1 bird flu ‘concerning’
Tests taken in Western Australia suggest a second bird was also infected, but there is no evidence poultry or agriculture systems are affected Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast The deadly H5N1 bird flu strain has arrived on the Australian mainland with test results confirming a migratory seabird found on the Western Australian coast was positive for the disease. The agriculture minister, Julie Collins, confirmed a brown skua â found unwell last Sunday at Cape Le Grand national park near Esperance in southern WA had died from H5N1. Tests taken in WA suggested a sick giant petrel found in the same area was also infected. Collins said samples from the petrel were being sent to the CSIROâs laboratory for confirmation. The highly pathogenic strain has killed millions of birds globally and crossed over into mammal species including elephant seals. Experts in Australia have feared the virus could devastate native bird species and potentially threaten marine mammals and other species. Until this week Australia had been the only continent to have escaped the devastating strain, with Collins telling Saturdayâs media conference âwe all knew that we couldnât
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