Attributable to the acting Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Sam Hamilton:
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a sample taken from a giant petrel found near Hawks Nest in New South Wales.
This is the sixth detection of H5 bird flu in migratory seabirds.
Confirmatory testing is underway on samples taken from a suspect positive giant petrel found at Mullaloo Beach in Western Australia.
There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system.
The risk to human health remains low.
If you see sick or dead birds or other animals, do not touch them. Avoid contact. Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 from anywhere in Australia.
Poultry producers are reminded that on-farm biosecurity practices are crucial to protect the health of their flocks.
For more information visit: birdflu.gov.au
