Full story
First mammal case confirmed
Australia confirmed its first case of H5 bird flu in a mammal after a long-nosed fur seal tested positive in South Australia, with the seal found dead at Beachport on the Limestone Coast.
“the deadly virus found in a long-nosed fur seal in South Australia state”
Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the detection is concerning but not unexpected, adding that the seal’s death "does not appear to be associated with other sick or dead marine mammals."
Reuters reported the virus was found in the fur seal as Australia grapples with rising cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza after it landed in the country in June, and it has not yet shown up in Australia’s poultry or agriculture.
The ABC reported the seal was found at Beachport on South Australia’s south-east coast and that Collins told reporters in Hobart the detection followed testing of the fur seal.
The Guardian said the Beachport death marked the first confirmed case in a mammal on the Australian mainland, with the seal found dead with no signs of injury and samples later confirming H5 bird flu.
Wildlife stakes and warnings
South Australia Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the fur seal case was "something we always knew would be coming," linking it to Heard Island where she said 75 per cent of the pups were killed through bird flu, "that's 13,000 seal pups."
The Invasive Species Council chief executive Jack Gough called the fur seal detection "devastating news for wildlife" and said mammal-to-mammal transmission among seals can occur quickly when bird flu arrives.
The ABC reported Bourke said there is "no cure" or ability to stop bird flu and that there is "no off-the-shelf vaccine for mammals" while the SA government works closely with the federal government on its national vaccination program.
The Guardian quoted Gough warning that if the virus gets into Australian sea lions it could be an "extinction level event," and it said the federal government has assessed long-nosed fur seals and the endangered Australian sea lion as facing very high risk.
Reuters said Collins warned that once H5 bird flu is spreading in the natural environment it is not possible to avoid significant losses, while also stating the risk to humans remains low.
Events, spread, and response
Australia has recorded 298 positive H5 bird flu events since the outbreak, with the ABC saying 194 of those were in South Australia and the Guardian listing 183 in South Australia among totals across states.
“"At this stage there is no evidence of infection in our poultry or agriculture systems"”
The Guardian said the risk of human transmission remains low and urged people to avoid sick or dead birds and report them to birdflu.gov.au, while the ABC said the government advised anyone who sees sick or dead birds not to touch them or get close to them but to record their location and make a report.
The ABC reported Collins said there is "no evidence of infection in our poultry or agriculture systems" and said she would travel to South Australia "in the coming days" to discuss the state’s response.
The Guardian said the SA government confirmed a little penguin found at Kangaroo Island tested positive for H5 bird flu, and it reported the SA government would work with the federal government to assess whether an experimental vaccine from the United States could be used for mammals in Australia.
SMH.au reported the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness announced 11 detections on Sunday, and it said the discovery of the dead fur seal increased fears for colonies such as fur seals that congregate at Montague Island near Narooma on the NSW South Coast.