Overview
- Federal and state officials confirmed on Saturday that a brown skua found near Esperance in Western Australia tested positive for highly pathogenic H5N1 and a nearby giant petrel is a suspected second case.
- Authorities have activated coordinated testing led by the Department of Primary Industries and CSIRO, urged the public to report sick or dead wildlife to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline, and said there is currently no evidence of infection in poultry or mass livestock deaths.
- The government has already allocated about AUD 113 million for preparedness and species protection, but conservation groups and scientists are urging more funding and rapid surveillance to protect vulnerable seabirds and marine mammals.
- Poultry owners and local industry are tightening on‑farm biosecurity, cancelling events and preparing for containment measures because past H5N1 outbreaks overseas have forced large culls and disrupted egg and meat supplies.
- Public‑health experts say human infection remains rare and the immediate risk is low, yet they advise vigilance and seasonal flu vaccination to reduce the small chance of viral reassortment that could raise future risk.