Western Australia has recorded a new positive detection of H5 bird flu in a migratory seabird at Lancelin bringing the State's total to eight confirmed cases.
Western Australia has recorded a new positive detection of H5 bird flu in a migratory seabird at Lancelin bringing the State's total to eight confirmed cases.
Testing at the CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness this week confirmed the 'presumed positive' detection in a dead giant petrel, found at Lancelin Beach, north of Perth.
While testing was unable to fully determine the specific H5 bird flu strain, likely due to the sample quality from a decomposed carcass, it will be treated as a positive case.
On the WA South Coast, a dead giant petrel found at Parry Beach in Denmark has also tested positive for the H5 strain.
In this case, additional testing by CSIRO to confirm the H5 bird flu strain has not been finalised and may also not be possible due to carcass degradation. It is likely to be treated as a presumed positive detection.
Both cases were reported by members of the public to the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline for further investigation.
There have been more than 1700 wildlife-related reports from WA to the hotline since the first confirmed case on 19 June. Of these reports, 283 have been assessed for further investigation or testing based on the likelihood of disease risk.
To date, a total of 117 negative test results have been recorded across the State.
The risk to human health remains low, but people are reminded to avoid handling the animals, record their observations by photo or video and report to the EAD hotline on 1800 675 888.
More information is available on the Australian Government's Bird flu (Avian influenza) website .
