Epidemic (animal)
Details
This is an expired event!
Event title
Australia - Australia records first bird flu case in pelican
Source
Severity
Low
Event date (UTC)
2026-09-14 08:42:10
Last update (UTC)
2026-09-14 08:42:10
Area range
Multiple cities / districts wide event
Address/Affected area(s)
South Australia
Authorities said Monday that Australia has detected its first case of H5N1 avian influenza in a pelican, with the case reported in South Australia.
The SA Department of Primary Industries and Regions on Monday reported five new confirmed H5N1 bird flu events, including a pelican that was found in the coastal town of Edithburgh about 80 km west of Adelaide, China Daily reported.
It marks Australia's first confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu in a pelican and takes 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 on Monday reported that samples from a dead sea lion that was 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 that was found dead on Kangaroo Island about 100km southwest of Adelaide.
Environment Minister in SA Emily Bourke told reporters on Monday that authorities will 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.
News.Az