South Australian state authorities announced Wednesday that it is very likely the H5 strain of bird flu is spreading locally among wild bird populations. The warning comes after biosecurity officials identified 11 additional suspected cases, with seven located in the state's South East region and four on Kangaroo Island.
While state officials await final laboratory verification from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) expected on Wednesday or Thursday, Primary Industries Minister Clare Scriven stated that the geographic clustering strongly indicates localized distribution of the virus. Scriven noted that local transmission in wild birds aligns with global patterns of H5 avian influenza spread observed across other continents.
As a precautionary measure to safeguard native wildlife, authorities suspended beach tours at Seal Bay Conservation Park on Kangaroo Island to protect the resident sea lion population. Officials emphasized that no H5 bird flu has been detected in commercial poultry across South Australia or the broader country, and Australia's initial confirmed case of the strain occurred in a giant petrel discovered on June 14.

