Fifth seabird tests positive for H5N1 but giant petrel found in Victoria confirmed not to have virus

Another case of the H5 bird flu has been confirmed on Australia’s coastline but authorities are breathing a sigh of relief after testing eased fears the deadly virus had landed in a third state.

WA’s fourth case of the concerning strain was revealed following testing of a giant petrel found at Roses Beach, west of Esperance on the state’s south coast.

The migratory seabird common to the sub-Antarctic was among five dead petrels found in the same area by a member of the public, although preliminary tests indicated the others were negative.

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When asked if the other birds would now be retested, or if it was just a coincidence they were all found dead in the same area, Australia’s chief veterinary officer Beth Cookson said “it’s very difficult to speculate as to whether they were or were not infected”.

“What we do know about the impacts of infection with something like bird flu on animals is that it can weaken them and make it so that they are unable to weather storms or other conditions that can bring them to the shore,” Cookson said on Tuesday.

“So we won’t be able to definitively rule in or out whether they were infected.”

She said there had been a “very active response” in and around Esperance and “it doesn’t substantially change what we know about the current situation which is that the detection so far have been in wild migratory seabirds and that there’s no evidence of spread to resident populations”.

“That’s our absolute priority at the moment,” Cookson said.

One case of H5 bird flu has also been confirmed in South Australia.

The skua and northern giant petrel found in WA and later confirmed to have H5N1 bird flu. Credit: Esperance Wildlife Hospital and SanctuaryA bird rescued from the ocean near Port Elliot in South Australia was later confirmed to carry the bird flu virus Credit: 7NEWS

Australia’s fifth confirmed case came amid concerns the disease had arrived in a third state after a giant petrel was found stumbling on the shore at Johanna Beach, southwest of Melbourne, before dying on Saturday.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said state testing on the bird “returned a negative result for the H5 bird flu”.

Close to 100 negative tests have been reported across Australia since the first reported case on June 14 .

“I do want to thank the members of the public for their assistance in reporting sick or dead wildlife. This is a sign of our strong biosecurity system working,” Cookson said.

“If you do come across sick or dead wildlife, we continue to encourage you to avoid contact with them, to record information that is useful in identifying their location as well as photos or videos that can support triaging and assessment of whether further investigation is needed, and to report to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.”

Collins said the government remains in talks about removing the remaining restrictions on Australian chicken exports to PNG .