Western Australia has recorded its fourth case of the H5 bird flu strain after a giant petrel found dead at Roses Beach, west of Esperance, tested positive. The migratory seabird, common to sub-Antarctic regions, was one of five dead petrels discovered in the same area by a member of the public. Preliminary tests on the other four birds returned negative results.
Authorities Respond to New Detection
Australia’s chief veterinary officer, Beth Cookson, said it is difficult to determine whether the other birds were infected, noting that bird flu can weaken animals, making them vulnerable to storms or other conditions that bring them ashore. “We won’t be able to definitively rule in or out whether they were infected,” she said on Tuesday.
Cookson confirmed a “very active response” in and around Esperance, but stressed that the detection “doesn’t substantially change what we know about the current situation.” She added that all cases so far have been in wild migratory seabirds, with no evidence of spread to resident populations. “That’s our absolute priority at the moment,” she said.
Victoria Case Ruled Out
Concerns that the virus had reached a third state were allayed after a giant petrel found stumbling on Johanna Beach, southwest of Melbourne, died on Saturday. Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said state testing on the bird “returned a negative result for the H5 bird flu.”
Australia has now recorded five confirmed H5 bird flu cases, including one in South Australia. A skua and a northern giant petrel found in WA were earlier confirmed to carry the virus.
Biosecurity Measures and Public Advice
Cookson reported that nearly 100 negative tests have been conducted across Australia since the first confirmed case on June 14. She thanked the public for reporting sick or dead wildlife, calling it “a sign of our strong biosecurity system working.” She advised people to avoid contact with sick or dead animals, record location details, take photos or videos for assessment, and report findings to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.
Trade Implications
Minister Collins said the government remains in talks about removing remaining restrictions on Australian chicken exports to Papua New Guinea, which were imposed due to bird flu concerns.
