Australia Reports First H5N1 Bird Flu Case in Local Mammal

Australian authorities confirmed the country's first H5N1 bird flu case in a mammal after a long-nosed fur seal was found dead in Beachport, South Australia.

The seal was discovered 310 km south of Adelaide with no signs of injury, marking an escalation of the outbreak that has seen 297 confirmed cases nationwide since June.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins stated that while the virus is spreading in the environment, it has not yet been detected in Australia's poultry or agricultural sectors.