Bird suspected of having deadly H5 flu washes up on Queensland beach
A dead bird suspected of carrying the H5 avian influenza has been found on a Queensland beach, marking the first potential case in the state. Conservationists are calling for increased government investment in wildlife resilience to protect native species from the virus.
Why it matters
The spread of H5 bird flu to new regions poses a significant threat to biodiversity and requires proactive surveillance and environmental management.
shares Share article A dead bird suspected of having the H5 bird flu has washed up on a beach in Queensland , marking the first suspected case in the state.
The dead petrel washed up on Moreton Island, north-west of Brisbane.
A bird suspected to have died of H5 bird flu, has washed up on Moreton Island, off Brisbane. nna\sswain
The remains returned a suspected positive result for the avian influenza and will now undergo further testing by the CSIRO for confirmation.
The deadly H5 variant has spread globally since 2021.
It reached mainland Australia last month when a migratory bird carrying the disease touched down in Western Australia.
There have now been 17 confirmed cases of H5 bird flu in wild seabirds in Australia, 10 in Western Australia , five in South Australia and two in New South Wales .
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