Arabic version: رصد حالة مشتبه بها لإنفلونزا الطيور H5 في كوينزلاند
According to ABC News, Queensland authorities believe a suspected positive case of H5 bird flu has been detected after a migratory bird was found washed up on Moreton Island.
Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service staff found the deceased petrel within the past 24 hours. Samples have been sent to a CSIRO laboratory for confirmation. Queensland chief veterinary officer Alison Crook said the bird tested positive for H5 at the Queensland government biosecurity laboratory, but national protocol requires further testing at the Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong, Victoria.
Confirmation is expected in the coming days. Crook said the Department of Primary Industries had moved into “full stand-up” mode and had received more than 1,000 public reports of suspected bird flu cases.
Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said Australia had recorded 17 positive cases so far, with most in Western Australia. He said the risk to human health remained unchanged and that it was safe to continue eating chicken meat and eggs.
Crook said there has been no detection of H5 bird flu in poultry in Australia. Poultry farmers and the wider industry had been notified and were well prepared for biosecurity measures, she said.
