AUSTRALIA is on high alert after a second bird tested positive for a deadly strain of avian flu, raising concerns the virus may be spreading in remote locations.
Authorities have not indicated whether this alert will have any effect on travelers.
A brown skua and a northern giant petrel had tested positive for the H5N1 strain of the flu after they were found in Western Australia, federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed on Monday.
There has been no evidence of mass mortalities among birds, with both animals discovered on a remote beach in Esperance, about 700km southeast of Perth.
“We are working to determine whether or not the H5 bird flu has established in the wildlife or established in Australia, other than these two isolated birds,’ Collins told reporters.
The poultry and agricultural sectors are free from the flu, with samples of the infected birds to be investigated over the next week.
There is no indication whether the confirmed cases would have an impact on egg or chicken prices.
“We have done all the preparedness and all the work and we have learnt from (previous) infections and overseas from keeping it out of the agricultural production,” Collins said.
Despite there being no detections in commercial poultry, major chicken producer Inghams Group announced it would mitigate against any potential risks across all WA sites.
“This includes the implementation of a complete lockdown, preventing all non-essential access, across all the company’s WA farms and processing operations,” the company said.
