In brief
A case of H5 bird flu has been confirmed in a common dolphin from Victor Harbor, South Australia, bringing the count of state‑wide detection events to 340. Health officials report no infections in poultry or livestock and say the risk to humans remains low, but they urge the public to avoid contact with sick or dead wildlife and report suspicions.
A common dolphin near Victor Harbor on South Australia’s Fleurieu Peninsula tested positive for H5 bird flu, bringing the state’s confirmed detection events to 340, the South Australian government announced Saturday. The new case represents just one more event, but each event can involve more than one animal, the government said.
Since the first tests were run on January 1, authorities have carried out 2,874 tests and received 15,872 reports of potential infections through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline since June 20, the government added. Despite the growing number of detection events, no H5 bird flu infections have been found in poultry or any livestock in the state, the officials said.
Officials also stressed that the risk to human health remains low. They have advised the public to avoid touching sick or dead birds and other wildlife and to report any suspected infections to the hotline.
The detection of the virus in a dolphin is part of a broader monitoring effort, as officials say all new cases are investigated to understand how the virus spreads across different species.
