Australia has confirmed its first mainland case of H5N1 bird flu in a seabird, according to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. The infected bird was found near Esperance, a town about 570 km southeast of Perth, the capital of Western Australia.
Government Response
Albanese stated that his government will do everything possible to restrict any spread of the virus. Testing had confirmed the bird had the deadly strain, and another sick bird found in the same area also tested positive.
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said there is no evidence of mass mortalities and no evidence that the virus is in Australia’s poultry or agriculture system at this stage. The government has tightened biosecurity measures at farms, tested shore birds for disease, vaccinated vulnerable species, and war-gamed response plans.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
