Two new bird flu cases suspected in SA, including first on a metro beach

Two additional H5 bird flu cases suspected in SA, including first on a metro beach Sat 25 Jul 2026 at 2:07pm , updatedSat 25 Jul 2026 at 2:18pm In short: Two additional suspected cases of H5 bird flu have been detected in South Australia. The greater crested terns were found near Robe on the Limestone Coast and at Semaphore, north-west of Adelaide. What's next? Samples have been sent to the CSIRO in Geelong for testing. Two additional suspected cases of H5 bird flu have been detected in South Australia, including one on a metropolitan beach. A greater crested tern was found near Robe on South Australia's Limestone Coast, while another greater crested tern was found near the Semaphore boat ramp, north-west of Adelaide. If confirmed, Semaphore will be the first metropolitan case in the state. SA Environment Minister Emily Bourke said the bird found in Robe was located 4 kilometres from the location where the first Australian seabird confirmed to have the H5 strain of bird flu was found. "Unfortunately, we are finding that these two cases are in our local [bird] species, so we need to send these tests off now to Geelong for them to have confirmation at that centralised location that they are, or are not, the H5 high strand of this disease," Ms Bourke said. Previous confirmed cases involved migratory birds from the sub-Antarctic region. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the results from testing at the CSIRO's Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong were expected early next week. "I do understand that these birds were deceased so they may be degraded samples but the CSIRO lab will do everything they can to check the sequencing," Ms Collins said. "We have no evidence of any transmission in Australia in terms of the H5 bird flu at this point in time. We have no mass mortalities been recorded, we have no bird flu in our poultry or agricultural systems and the risk to human health remains low. "As soon as we have any results we will make them public. What we’re doing here today is we’re being as up-front with the Australian community at the earliest opportunity, as we have at every occasion with these bird flu incursions." South Australia's first confirmed case was found in a giant petrel found on the Fleurieu Peninsula, on June 14. Nationally, there are currently 18 confirmed cases of bird flu in Australia, five of which are in South Australia. Queensland confirmed its first case of H5 bird flu today, after a dead petrel was found on Moreton Island, east of Brisbane. The public's vital role in detection South Australia's latest two suspected H5 cases were found by members of the public. "These two tests have come about because community members called the hotline, did the things that we've been saying: avoid record and report," Ms Bourke said. "It's exactly what's happened here: people walking on the beach, people reporting, people recording, and people doing the right thing in South Australia." Ms Collins said 8,000 calls had been made nationally to the hotline and through the Australian government's bird flu (Avian influenza) website. "In terms of the reporting, the recording, and avoiding any dead birds and we have literally done hundreds of tests across the country so we are monitoring this incredibly closely." Ms Collins said the community was the "first line of defence when it comes to biosecurity".