First H5 Bird Flu Case Detected in Australia, a Neighbouring Country of Indonesia

Scientists have detected the H5 bird flu strain in Australia for the first time, meaning the highly contagious variant has now spread to every continent. Australian Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the disease was found in a migratory seabird, a brown skua, in a remote area of Western Australia, and the result was confirmed by the national science agency. A sample from another sick bird, a giant petrel found in the same area, also showed a suspected positive result. Australia was previously the only continent where the H5 strain, which can devastate poultry and wild bird populations, had never been detected. “While disappointing, this is not unexpected given the global spread of H5 bird flu. I can confirm that to date there is still no evidence of mass die-offs, nor is there any evidence of infection in any poultry,” Collins said. The H5 strain has caused severe disease and high mortality rates in poultry, wild birds, and affected mammals worldwide. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stated that the detection of this case is very concerning, and his government will take steps to try to control the spread of the disease. “This is something that occurs through migratory birds, and by definition has occurred around the world, and that is why we have been preparing for this,” he said. The wild birds most affected by the H5 strain include waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds, and raptors. Marine mammals have also been affected, with some detections found in other animals such as cats, goats, alpacas, and pigs. The deadly disease is feared to add to the extinction risk faced by Australia’s fauna, many of which are unique animals found only on that vast continent. Nearly half of Australia’s wild bird species and 83% of its mammals are not found anywhere else in the world. Australia’s Threatened Species Commissioner, Fiona Fraser, said there is a plan to protect 35 species by ramping up captive breeding. Among these species, the Tasmanian devil, black swan, little penguin, and Australian sea lion are at very high risk from bird flu, she explained. “It is very clear that this could have an impact on the population level for our species,” Fraser said. The confirmed case was detected in a wilderness area located 630 km southeast of the city of Perth, on the west coast. Officials said they are investigating whether the disease arrived in Australia via birds migrating from the sub-Antarctic. Australian scientists previously noted that the H5 bird flu strain killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding colony on the remote Heard Island and McDonald Islands, an Australian external territory in the sub-Antarctic.