H5 Bird Flu Detected Inland in Australia as Cases Rise

The discovery of H5 bird flu in Australia's inland regions is raising alarm among authorities and conservationists as the deadly virus continues its rapid spread across the country. Two greater crested terns tested positive for the strain in New South Wales, including one found near Wentworth in the far southwest, more than 500 kilometers from the coast. This marks the first detection of H5 among an Australian native bird in the state, pushing the national total of confirmed or presumed positive detections to 215.

The positive samples, reported by members of the public, were confirmed by testing at CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness. The agency also confirmed on Saturday a further 10 detections, all from greater crested terns in Victoria's southwest and Melbourne. South Australia remains the worst-hit state, with 28 positive detections among wild seabirds, mostly greater crested terns, according to Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson.

The inland discovery in the Murray-Darling Basin at Wentworth is considered a worrying development. Jack Gough, chief executive of the Invasive Species Council, stated that the speed at which the virus is spreading to...