Australia Confirms First H5N1 Avian Influenza Case in Migratory Bird

Australia. The Australian government has confirmed the infection of the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of avian influenza in a migratory bird found in Western Australia.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, informed at a press conference in Canberra on Saturday that a brown skua found in a national park in southern Western Australia on June 14 has been confirmed to have died due to H5N1 infection.

This is the first confirmed case of the H5N1 strain in Australia. The virus has been spreading in various parts of the world since 2020, causing the deaths of millions of birds and other animals.

According to officials, a giant petrel was found in a diseased state near the area where the infected bird was found. The bird has been kept in quarantine.

The Australian government had previously allocated 113 million Australian dollars in preparation for a potential outbreak. On this occasion, Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson urged the public to stay away from contact with sick or dead birds.