Australian authorities announced Friday what they describe as the country’s first detection of highly pathogenic H5 bird flu, nearly two years after launching a billion-dollar “preparedness” campaign, creating a dedicated task force, and conducting nationwide simulation exercises for the anticipated arrival of the pathogen.
Australia was the last continent without a reported detection of H5N1.
The announcement reads:
“Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a brown skua in Western Australia.”
“This is the highly pathogenic strain of concern that has been circulating globally, and is the first detection in Australia.”
The development comes as governments from now every continent orchestrate a coming bird flu pandemic, either through the lab-creation (here, here) of bird flu pandemic pathogens using gain-of-function experiments, outbreak response and so-called preparedness measures, or bird flu narrative public messaging—like Australia's new announcement.
Follow us on Instagram @realjonfleetwood & Twitter/X @JonMFleetwood.
If you value this reporting, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
For advertising & sponsorship opportunities, contact us by clicking below.
According to Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, testing at the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s (CSIRO) Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness was said to have confirmed H5 avian influenza in a brown skua found in Western Australia.
Officials claim a second migratory seabird, a giant petrel, also tested positive for H5 avian influenza and is undergoing confirmatory testing.
In September 2024, News.com.au reported that Australia was “the only continent to have not detected H5N1” while highlighting a federal government initiative described as a “$1 billion move” to combat the bird flu strain.
The same report detailed a series of national preparedness exercises designed to test Australia’s response to a future H5 outbreak.
Australia subsequently established a dedicated H5 task force involving the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, the Australian Centre for Disease Control, the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, and the National Emergency Management Agency.
Australia’s announcement closes the final geographic gap in official H5 reporting, leaving every continent represented in the bird flu narrative.
Follow us on Instagram @realjonfleetwood & Twitter/X @JonMFleetwood.
If you value this reporting, consider upgrading to a paid subscription.
For advertising & sponsorship opportunities, contact us by clicking below.
The Bird Flu Narrative
Do not comply.
oh how convenient. quite expensive though, that infection. imagine if they spent that much on healing people instead of making them sick - of birds for that matter.