Australia news live: bird flu detected on Murray-Darling basin ‘should be ringing alarm bells’, expert says

New South Wales recorded its first cases of H5 bird flu in two local birds on Saturday, including one found near Wentworth on the Murray-Darling Basin.

Jack Gough , chief executive of the Invasive Species Council , said:

double quotation mark That should be ringing alarm bells for governments because it suggests it could soon be spreading among inland bird colonies ahead of spring breeding season.

Birds in the Murray-Darling basin are already in decline due to feral animals, insufficient water to critical wetlands and the loss of habitat - now they have a deadly disease to contend with.

Samples from two deceased greater crested terns in NSW – the other found near Narooma on the south coast – tested positive at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

On Saturday, a further 28 positive cases were confirmed in South Australia, bringing the state’s total to 147. An additional 13 suspected cases were also detected, including an ibis in Adelaide and a cormorant in Carpenter Rocks on the Limestone Coast.

Victoria confirmed 10 positive cases on Saturday, all from greater crested terns in south-west Victoria and Clyde in south-east Melbourne.

As of 3pm yesterday, Australia had a total of 215 H5 bird flu cases nationally.