H5 bird flu scare returns to Esperance

Western Australia is investigating a new suspected H5 bird flu case in a giant petrel reported near Roses Beach, Esperance, widening a mainland wildlife investigation that has already included multiple seabirds in the south-west.

Officials said five deceased petrels were submitted for testing. One returned a suspected positive result for H5 influenza in preliminary testing, while four tested negative. A separate giant petrel found in Quindalup is also under investigation.

Samples from the latest birds are being sent to the CSIRO Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmation. Authorities have said the result remains preliminary and has not yet been confirmed as H5N1.

What has been found

The new investigation follows earlier confirmed mainland cases in the Esperance area. Western Australia previously confirmed H5 bird flu in a brown skua near Cape Le Grand National Park and in a giant petrel from the same region.

South Australia also confirmed its first H5 bird flu case earlier in June in a giant petrel at Knights Beach, adding to concern that the virus is appearing in migratory seabirds across more than one state.

The latest report came after a member of the public found the bird at Roses Beach. That sighting has now been folded into the broader testing and surveillance effort led by Western Australian authorities.

Why authorities are watching closely

WA Agriculture Minister Jackie Jarvis said there is still no evidence of disease transmission on the Australian mainland. Officials also said there were no signs at the time of reporting of mass bird deaths or detections in poultry or broader wildlife.

That distinction matters because the current detections are being treated as a wildlife and biosecurity problem rather than a poultry outbreak. The main concern is whether the virus is spreading beyond migratory seabirds into resident wildlife or farmed birds.

The stakes are not just agricultural. Officials and researchers are also watching for possible conservation impacts on native bird species and marine wildlife if the virus continues to move through seabird populations.

What happens next

The immediate next step is confirmation testing by CSIRO. Authorities are also monitoring for additional sick or dead birds near Esperance and elsewhere, along with any sign of spread into poultry.

For now, the latest suspected case extends a fast-moving mainland H5 investigation rather than changing the basic picture. Officials still say the evidence points to a wildlife surveillance issue, but one that could become more serious if confirmation testing or new detections show wider transmission.