South Australia reports spike in H5N1 bird flu cases

Authorities in South Australia (SA) said on Wednesday that it is very likely that the H5N1 avian influenza is spreading locally after reporting 11 new suspected cases of the deadly strain.



Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development in SA, Clare Scriven, told reporters on Wednesday morning that all the new cases were detected in greater crested terns, with seven found in the state's southeast and another four on Kangaroo Island, about 120 km off the coast of Adelaide.



If confirmed, the new cases would bring the total number in SA to 25 and the national number to 38 since the strain was first detected on the mainland in June.

Scriven said that it was extremely likely that the new cases represent localized transmission of the strain. It has caused the deaths of millions of poultry and infected more than 100 mammalian species.