New bird flu case detected, Australia on high alert

The Australian government has confirmed a new case of bird flu in the southern part of the country, bringing the total number of detected cases to three, according to local media on Wednesday. The latest case of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu was confirmed in a wild migratory bird, prompting authorities to increase surveillance as the virus spreads along the country’s southern coastline, ABC News reported. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the latest case was detected in a giant petrel found at Knights Beach on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The bird was one of two sick seabirds taken in by a wildlife rescue group on 14 June and subsequently tested for the virus. The latest laboratory results confirmed one bird was infected with the H5 strain, while the second tested negative, Malinauskas told reporters. Two additional sick birds found at Fowlers Bay also tested negative. This latest detection follows two confirmed cases near Esperance in Western Australia, including a migratory brown skua seabird and another bird found on a remote beach that tested positive for the same deadly strain.