Australia Tightens Biosecurity Measures After Second H5 Bird Flu Case

Australia has placed its largest poultry producer under lockdown after confirming a second case of the H5N1 bird flu strain in the country.

Authorities said the latest case involved a sick bird found on a remote beach along the south coast of Western Australia. The discovery came two days after H5N1 was detected in a migratory brown skua seabird in the same region.

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said investigations are ongoing to determine whether the virus has become established in wildlife or remains limited to the two isolated cases.

In response, poultry company Inghams Group announced a complete lockdown of its farms and processing facilities in Western Australia, restricting all non-essential access.

The infected birds were found about 700 kilometres southeast of Perth.

Australia had previously avoided the H5 strain that has affected bird populations in many parts of the world. Earlier outbreaks in the country involved other forms of avian influenza, mainly H7 strains.

Bird flu is a contagious disease that primarily affects birds but can also infect other animals, including humans.