Western Australia Detects Suspected H5 in 1 Brown Skua, Awaiting CSIRO Confirmation
Updated
Updated · ABC News · Jun 19
Western Australia Detects Suspected H5 in 1 Brown Skua, Awaiting CSIRO Confirmation
3 articles · Updated · ABC News · Jun 19
Summary
A brown skua found sick near Esperance in Cape Le Grand National Park returned a suspected positive avian influenza result, marking a potential first H5 detection for Australia.
State testing flagged the case after the bird was found Sunday and died that night; samples were sent overnight to CSIRO, with strain confirmation expected tomorrow.
Authorities said there is no evidence of poultry infection or mass wildlife deaths, though a second unwell sub-Antarctic bird from the same area is also being tested.
Julie Collins urged people not to touch sick or dead animals and to report sightings from a safe distance, while Western Australia and federal agencies prepare a coordinated response.
If confirmed as H5, the case would mean the virus has reached every continent after spreading globally since 2021 and killing millions of birds and mammals, including 13,359 seal pups on Heard Island.