Australia Investigates First Suspected Mainland H5N1 Case

Australia has recorded its first suspected case of H5N1 avian influenza on the mainland after a migratory seabird found in Cape Le Grand National Park in Western Australia tested positive for bird flu.

Western Australian Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said further testing is underway to confirm the exact strain, with definitive results expected on Saturday. A second sick bird found in the same area is also being tested.

Australia has until now been the only continent where the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain had not been detected on land. Since 2021, the virus has spread across wild bird and mammal populations worldwide, killing millions of animals and affecting poultry and dairy farms. It has also infected a small number of farm workers.

“While, if confirmed, this would obviously be a very concerning development, Australia has spent the past few years preparing for this likelihood”, Environment Minister Murray Watt said.

Ahead of the virus's arrival, authorities strengthened farm biosecurity measures, expanded surveillance of coastal bird populations, began vaccinating vulnerable species and developed contingency plans to respond to an outbreak.

(reuters, max)