Bird flu cases in Western Australia have remained steady, with no new detections recorded this week despite a rise in cases in other states.
Latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry show Australia has recorded 215 H5 bird flu cases, with WA holding at 10.
In New South Wales, two greater crested terns tested positive for the H5 flu strain, with one found near Narooma on the state’s south coast and the other near Wentworth close to Mildura, officials confirmed on Saturday.
It’s the first time the flu has been detected in an Australian native bird in NSW, with the state now recording four cases.
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed on Saturday a further 10 detections, all from greater crested terns in Victoria’s south-west and Melbourne.
There were 28 positive detections in SA among wild seabirds, most among greater crested terns with 15 of those on the state’s Limestone Coast and 11 on Kangaroo Island, Australia’s chief veterinary officer Beth Cookson said.
SA chief vet Skye Fruean said there was no particular reason why the state had so far encountered most of Australia’s confirmed cases.
All of WA’s detections have involved wild seabirds rather than farmed poultry, and no infections have been reported in commercial flocks.
Since the State Government announced its bird flu advisory group on Thursday, Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said the emergency hotline had already fielded almost 2700 calls.
It has been more than 14 days since the last positive case, but Ms Jarvis warned earlier this week that “mass mortalities of birds” could still occur.
Authorities say the risk to human health remains low, but residents are urged not to touch sick or dead birds.
People should also keep pets away from affected wildlife and report multiple sick or dead birds to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
