Australia confirms first native seabird H5N1 bird flu case

Australia has confirmed the first H5N1 bird‑flu infection in a native seabird. Laboratory testing by CSIRO identified the deadly strain in a greater crested tern found on the South Australian coast at Robe, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said. The case brings the national tally to 12 confirmed detections, after two additional infections were reported in South Australia and one in Western Australia. Collins described the development as “concerning but not unexpected” and noted that there is no evidence of mass wildlife deaths, no spread to commercial poultry, and the risk to human health remains low. Authorities are expanding surveillance around Robe and monitoring a dead seal in New South Wales for possible infection. Experts warn that the virus, previously seen only in migratory birds, now affecting a resident species could signal local transmission and pose a threat to Australia’s unique fauna, including koalas, kangaroos and the Tasmanian devil. “It is impossible to predict what will happen,” said Jose Quinteros, a poultry science lecturer at the University of Sydney.