Second fur seal suspected to have bird flu

A second fur seal in Australia has been suspected of contracting bird flu, following the confirmation of the first mammal case on Sunday. Five suspected H5 bird flu cases were reported in South Australia on Monday, including the infected seal at The Pages Conservation Park, a haven for the endangered Australian sea lion. The seal's test results are expected in the coming days.

The initial positive case was a long-nosed fur seal at Beachport, 300km south of Adelaide, believed to have contracted the virus from wild birds. Environment Minister Murray Watt stated that the spread from birds to mammals is likely and that the government is considering potential vaccination programs for animals. Agriculture Minister Julie Collins mentioned that the federal government is exploring the availability of bird flu vaccines for mammals, with trials already underway in North America and Hawaii.

Bird flu vaccinations have been administered to at-risk species, such as little penguins on Victoria's Phillip Island, with about 1000 penguins receiving a first dose in total.