Western Australian poultry farms locked down after H5N1 bird flu discovered in wild birds

Poultry farms across Western Australia have been placed under lockdown following the confirmation of the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus in wild birds. This marks the first instance of the virus reaching mainland Australia, a continent that had, until now, remained free of H5N1.

The virus was detected in a brown skua found on a remote beach near Esperance. A giant petrel in the same vicinity also returned a preliminary positive result. Reports indicate that over a dozen sick or deceased birds have been found along the Western Australian coast.

Inghams Group, Australia's largest poultry producer, announced a "complete lockdown" in Western Australia, despite no commercial poultry flocks testing positive for H5N1. The company plans to request permission from the state government to house free-range chickens indoors and has halted all nonessential access to its operations.

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Our approach is to really learn from the overseas experience and look at the practical actions that can be put in place to mitigate the impacts as far as possible

Australia's chief veterinary officer, Beth Cookson, stated that the virus has not been detected in domestic poultry or agricultural systems. However, authorities are actively investigating whether the infected wild birds have transmitted the disease to other wildlife populations. "Our approach is to really learn from the overseas experience and look at the practical actions that can be put in place to mitigate the impacts as far as possible," Cookson told ABC's Radio National.

Shares in Inghams experienced a significant drop, falling as much as 14% on Monday. The company has been facing financial challenges, with its share price declining over the past four months. Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt confirmed that state and federal environment ministers would be briefed on the virus. He expressed confidence in Australia's preparedness systems, noting government investments in biosecurity measures.

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We’ve been working very hard with states, industry, environment groups [and] scientists over the last couple of years to make sure that we are as well prepared as we possibly could be