Australian authorities have confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu strain has been found in two migratory seabirds on the southern coast of Western Australia.

澳洲當局已確認，在西澳南岸的兩隻候鳥海鳥身上發現了 H5N1 禽流感病毒。

The virus was identified in a brown skua and a giant petrel near Esperance, marking the first time this specific version of the virus has appeared in Australia. Experts are using genetic testing to find out exactly how the virus arrived, although evidence suggests it came from the south. Because the virus was previously found on subantarctic islands, it is likely that birds traveling between those islands and Australia during winter brought the disease with them.

在 Esperance 附近的一隻棕色賊鷗和一隻巨彼得信鵜身上發現了這種病毒，這標誌著該特定版本的病毒首次在澳洲出現。專家正利用基因檢測來查明病毒確切的傳入方式，儘管證據顯示其來自南方。由於該病毒先前在亞南極群島被發現，很可能是鳥類在冬季於這些島嶼與澳洲之間遷徙時將疾病帶入。

In response, the government has created an expert wildlife group to track infected animals and identify high-risk areas. Furthermore, the administration has spent about $113 million on preparation and response plans. However, ecologists are worried about native species that have lived in isolation, as some flightless birds could cause the virus to mutate. High-risk animals include Australian sea lions and black swans. Consequently, some environmental groups are asking for an additional $200 million to protect wildlife and control pests.

作為回應，政府成立了一個野生動物專家小組以追蹤受感染動物並識別高風險區域。此外，行政部門已在準備與應對計劃上投入約 1.13 億美元。然而，生態學家對一直處於隔離狀態的本土物種感到擔憂，因為部分不能飛行的鳥類可能會導致病毒變異。高風險動物包括澳洲海獅和黑天鵝。因此，部分環境團體要求額外 2 億美元以保護野生動物並控制害蟲。

Meanwhile, poultry farmers have increased their security measures to protect their birds. Although this H5N1 strain is different from the one seen earlier in 2024-25, it could still cause major economic problems. Some farmers have improved their facilities to keep livestock away from contaminated ground, and several local events in Esperance have been cancelled as a precaution. Additionally, the Australian Veterinary Association has requested $7.5 million more to hire extra staff for containment efforts.

與此同時，家禽養殖戶增加了安保措施以保護其鳥類。儘管這次的 H5N1 病毒株與 2024-25 年早前發現的不同，但仍可能造成嚴重的經濟問題。部分農戶改良了設施以避免牲畜接觸受污染的地面，而 Esperance 的幾場當地活動也採取預防措施而取消。此外，澳洲獸醫協會已要求增加 750 萬美元以僱用額外人員協助控制疫情。

Authorities continue to monitor the situation closely and are investigating reports of dead birds to see if the virus has spread beyond the first two cases.

當局將持續密切監控情況，並調查關於死鳥的報告，以確認病毒是否已在首兩宗個案之外傳播。