Authorities have confirmed a fourth case of avian influenza in Australia, with a giant petrel on the country's southern coast testing positive for the H5N1 virus. This latest detection brings the total number of confirmed cases to four, all involving migratory seabirds that occasionally visit the region.

Australia's Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cookson stated on Saturday that the new case was found in a giant petrel on the southern coast of Western Australia. This follows earlier detections of three seabirds with H5N1 earlier in the week, with two found in Western Australia and one in South Australia.

Western Australia has also reported a further suspect bird, a giant petrel found at Roses Beach, west of Esperance, on June 21. This bird was among a group of four, with samples sent for testing. The other birds found at Roses Beach returned negative results.

Cookson emphasized that "at this stage, there have only been detections in vagrant migratory seabirds that occasionally visit southern Australia." She added that there remains "no evidence of any mass mortality events and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system." Authorities maintain that the risk to human health remains low.

Western Australian authorities have received approximately 360 reports of sick birds since the first suspected case was identified on a remote beach in Esperance. Of these, about 43 have been prioritized for testing, with 12 returning negative results. The confirmed cases include a brown skua found in Esperance, WA, on June 14; a giant petrel on South Australia's Fleurieu Peninsula on June 14; and another giant petrel in Esperance on June 18.

Surveillance efforts, including ground-based and drone surveys, are ongoing across the country. A temporary ban on poultry products from Australia, previously imposed by Papua New Guinea's National Agriculture and Quarantine Inspection Authority, has since been lifted.

The public is urged not to touch any dead birds or other animals and to report them to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.