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.<\/p>\n
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow<\/a><\/p>\n 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\u2019s chief veterinary officer Beth Cookson said \u201cit\u2019s very difficult to speculate as to whether they were or were not infected\u201d. <\/p>\n \u201cWhat 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,\u201d Cookson said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n \u201cSo we won\u2019t be able to definitively rule in or out whether they were infected.\u201d<\/p>\n She said there had been a \u201cvery active response\u201d in and around Esperance and \u201cit doesn\u2019t 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\u2019s no evidence of spread to resident populations\u201d.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s our absolute priority at the moment,\u201d Cookson said.<\/p>\n One case of H5 bird flu has also been confirmed<\/a> in South Australia<\/a>.<\/p>\n Australia\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said state testing on the bird \u201creturned a negative result for the H5 bird flu\u201d.<\/p>\n Close to 100 negative tests have been reported across Australia since the first reported case on June 14<\/a> .<\/p>\n \u201cI 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,\u201d Cookson said.<\/p>\n \u201cIf 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Collins said the government remains in talks about removing the remaining restrictions on Australian chicken exports to PNG .<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gruesome revelation about two more bodies found in suitcases<\/p>\n 1 min read<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/4537ee1eed69c81f03fc408b2ba42623af868045.jpg\")
The skua and northern giant petrel found in WA and later confirmed to have H5N1 bird flu. Credit: Esperance Wildlife Hospital and Sanctuary![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1782831375_820_f335c19b539ba9bb14efb99abbd424fddf4efd4c-16x9-x0y0w1280h720.jpg\")
A bird rescued from the ocean near Port Elliot in South Australia was later confirmed to carry the bird flu virus Credit: 7NEWS<\/p>\n