Second H5 bird flu case confirmed in Tasmania after crested tern tests positive on King Island

Officials from the Department of Natural Resources and Environment retrieved a crested tern from the coastline near Currie on King Island, and laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of the H5 avian influenza virus. The bird was reported via the Emergency Animal Disease hotline, and two more terns from the same area were logged for testing, with results expected on Saturday. Crested terns are common along Australian coasts, and the public is urged to avoid contact with sick or dead birds and report sightings.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff thanked community members and staff for their swift action, stating that the virus's entry into Tasmania was expected given its global spread, and outlined ongoing surveillance measures. Primary Industries and Water Minister Gavin Pearce affirmed that the state’s bird-flu response plan is in place. This is the second confirmed H5 case in Tasmania, the first being a migratory brown skua found at Burgess Cove on the north-west coast, and no infections have been detected in commercial poultry farms.