H5 bird flu kills first confirmed mammal on Australian mainland

A long-nosed fur seal found dead at Beachport in South Australia has tested positive for H5 bird flu, marking the first confirmed fatal case in a mammal on the Australian mainland.

The seal was discovered on August 19 on the state's Limestone Coast. The confirmation adds a mammal infection to an outbreak that has already caused three mass-mortality events among birds on offshore islands.

More than 1,000 greater crested terns were involved in those events, according to information announced by South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas. The state government also confirmed that a little penguin found on Kangaroo Island tested positive for H5.

Highly pathogenic H5 bird flu has killed large numbers of wild and domestic birds globally and has also infected mammal species. Australian federal assessments had identified long-nosed fur seals and the endangered Australian sea lion as facing a very high risk from the virus.

The mainland confirmation represents a new stage in Australia's outbreak and is likely to increase attention on surveillance of seals, sea lions and other wildlife along the southern coast.