NSW records first suspected case of deadly H5 bird flu as virus reaches Australia’s east coast

New South Wales has its first suspected case of the deadly H5 bird flu in a giant petrel that was found near Hawks Nest, north of Newcastle, on the state’s coast.

If CSIRO testing confirms it is the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain, it would mark the first detection of the deadly disease on the Australian east coast.

Five cases have already been confirmed since late June – four in Western Australia and one in South Australia – all in migratory sub-antarctic birds.

The NSW agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, said the disease had so far not been detected in any poultry flocks, captive or other wild birds in NSW.

She said initial testing at NSW labs had confirmed the petrel was positive for H5 influenza. Testing by the Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness was needed to confirm it was the highly pathogenic strain of the disease that has devastated wildlife populations globally.

“This latest development is incredibly concerning for both agriculture and for wildlife,” Moriarty said.

“The impact of H5 worldwide on wild birds and poultry has been devastating. But NSW and the rest of the country have been preparing for this moment for many years.”

The New South Wales government said last week it had surveillance in place for early detection following the arrival of deadly H5 bird flu in other parts of the country.

Moriarty said NSW was working with the federal and other state and territory governments. A state coordination centre at the Department of Primary Industry and Regional Development in Orange was managing surveillance operations.