PET owners, particularly those with cats, are being urged to watch closely for signs of illness after the H5N1 avian influenza virus was confirmed in wild seabirds in three Australian states. The virus was first detected on the Australian mainland on 14 June, when a brown skua was found sick at Cape Le Grand National Park near Esperance, Western Australia. It was confirmed as HPAI H5N1 later that month. Since then, detections have spread to South Australia and as of July to New South Wales, with six confirmed cases nationally. There is no evidence yet of spread to poultry or…
Wednesday, July 15
