Western Australia has now confirmed the detection of H5 bird flu in a giant petrel found in Quindalup on the State’s South West coast.
Western Australia has now confirmed the detection of H5 bird flu in a giant petrel found in Quindalup on the State’s South West coast.
CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed the result of H5 bird flu in the single migratory petrel this morning.
There have been four confirmed detections of H5 bird flu in Australia.
The number of confirmed WA cases has now reached three – including two migratory seabirds previously reported – a brown skua and giant petrel found in the remote Cape Le Grand area, east of Esperance.
Results of a further suspect positive detection in a giant petrel on the WA south coast at Roses Beach, 30 kilometres west of Esperance, are pending.
There has been a total of 476 reports from WA to the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) hotline since Friday 19 June. Of these reports, 53 have been prioritised by DPIRD based on the risk of H5 bird flu for further investigation or testing.
To date, a total of 17 negative test results have been recorded for the following coastal regions – Esperance area, Mid West, Great Southern, South West, Peel and the Perth metropolitan area.
Testing of other collected samples is ongoing, and results will be provided when available. Reports to the EAD hotline are routinely investigated and there is no suggestion any of these reports will be H5 bird flu.
Importantly, there are no detections in poultry, evidence of spread to local wildlife or large-scale deaths in any animals.
Reporting to the EAD hotline, and the resulting investigations, are a part of Australia’s well-established approaches and biosecurity system.
A national surveillance plan is in operation to monitor for any further detections and facilitate a rapid, coordinated response.
Anyone who sees sick or dead birds or marine mammals should AVOID and not handle the animals but RECORD and take photos or a video and REPORT to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For more information visit the Australian Government’s Bird flu (Avian influenza) website .
