New South Wales has recorded its first confirmed case of H5 bird flu, after a giant petrel found near Hawks Nest on the Mid North Coast tested positive for the highly pathogenic strain.
Testing conducted tonight at the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed the seabird was infected with H5N1, marking the sixth confirmed case detected in migratory seabirds across Australia.
A suspected case involving another giant petrel in Western Australia remains under investigation.
Acting Australian Chief Veterinary Officer Sam Hamilton said there was no evidence of mass mortality events and no detections in Australia’s agricultural system. He stressed that the risk to public health remains low.
NSW Agriculture Minister Tara Moriarty said the state had long been preparing for a positive result and has a clear response plan in place.
“At this stage the result is limited to a single migratory seabird and has not impacted our poultry sector or domestic wildlife,” she said. “There is no impact on the supply of chicken meat or eggs.”
The detection comes as authorities continue heightened surveillance of migratory seabirds, which have been the source of all confirmed H5N1 cases in Australia to date.
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