Australia has confirmed its first H5N1 bird flu case in a native seabird, raising fresh concern as the virus continues to spread after being detected on the country’s mainland last month.
According to the report, laboratory testing confirmed the infection in a greater crested tern found in Robe, a coastal town in South Australia. Australian Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said it was the first confirmed case in an Australian seabird, while earlier detections were reported in migratory seabirds.
The minister described the development as concerning but said it was not unexpected. She added that there is currently no evidence of mass bird deaths or spread to poultry or the wider agriculture sector.
Authorities are now investigating how the native seabird became infected. Officials believe the bird may have come into contact with migratory seabirds that had already tested positive for H5.
The latest case has taken Australia’s confirmed detections to 12, after authorities also reported two more infections in South Australia and one in Western Australia.
Australia confirmed its first mainland H5N1 case in June. The virus had earlier been detected in late 2025 on Heard Island, a remote Australian sub-Antarctic territory located thousands of kilometers away from the mainland.
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