Australia’s first case of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in a pelican has been detected in South Australia (SA), authorities said on Monday, reported Xinhua.
The Primary Industries and Regions Department reported five new confirmed H5N1 bird flu events, including a pelican found in the coastal town of Edithburgh, about 80 kilometres (km) west of Adelaide.
It marks Australia’s first confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu in a pelican and brings the total number of confirmed events in SA to 295.
As of Friday, there had been 521 confirmed events nationally since the deadly strain was first detected in mainland Australia in June.
In addition to the new confirmed events, SA also reported on Monday that samples from a dead sea lion found south of Adelaide would be tested for bird flu.
The state on Sunday reported the first confirmed case of the H5N1 strain in an endangered sea lion found dead on Kangaroo Island, about 100 km southwest of Adelaide.
SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke told reporters on Monday that authorities would not be able to test a dead dolphin that washed ashore at a beach in Adelaide’s southern suburbs for bird flu due to decomposition.
