More H5 avian flu cases detected in wild birds in Australia

CANBERRA – The deadly H5 avian influenza has been discovered in a fourth wild bird in Australia, with a fifth case suspected.

A giant petrel in Western Australia was found to have the disease, Australia’s chief veterinary officer Beth Cookson said in a statement on June 27. This follows two cases in that state, and another in South Australia.

Samples from another giant petrel found near Esperance in southern Western Australia have been sent to the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness under the federal government’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation for testing.

H5 bird flu is spreading globally and spilling into mammals, including cattle and seals. The infections in Australia raise concerns about potential outbreaks among poultry and livestock. Human cases remain uncommon and are largely tied to close contact with infected animals.

“At this stage, there have only been detections in vagrant migratory seabirds that occasionally visit southern Australia,” Cookson said.

“There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events, and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system,” she said. “The risk to human health remains low.”

Australian-listed chicken producer Inghams Group this week said it has implemented a “complete lockdown” at its Western Australian operations after the disease was detected in the state, though no cases had been found in commercial poultry. BLOOMBERG