Avian Flu Spreads Along WA Coastline, Poultry Industry on Alert

More than a dozen dead birds have been reported along Western Australia's southern coastline as the state braces for more cases of the deadly H5 variant of avian influenza.

Australia's first case of the disease was found in a bird washed up on a remote beach near Esperance on Friday.

Since then, the Department of Primary Industries has received at least 16 reports of dead animals between Perth and the Cape Le Grand area in the state's south-west.

The reported species include five seabirds, two of which were found in the Esperance area, and the 16 includes only reports received by mid-afternoon on Saturday.

Where possible, samples are being collected from the carcasses and will be tested. It is not yet known if any of the dead species reported to authorities have been infected with bird flu.

More cases likely

WA Seabird Conservation Network marine ornithologist Aurelie Labbe said there were likely other infected birds not yet discovered lying dead along the WA coastline.

"It is a huge stretch of coastline, not very well monitored for the arrival of the disease," she said.

Ms Labbe said the disease could be "catastrophic" for Australian birds, all of which have no immunity to the disease.

"The things that we're very much expecting the most is a complete wipe-out of the black swans, which have no ability to mount an immune response to the virus when it arrives," she said.

"If they do contract it, they will die. They cannot be saved."

Poultry industry bracing for impact

Anxiety is growing across the Australian poultry sector, with the potential for the influenza to decimate the $4 billion industry.

At Albany's poultry auction yards yesterday, each chicken coming in was being squeezed to check for signs of infection.

Albany Poultry Club secretary Sharron Cliff said buyers were looking for external signs of disease.

"Bubbly eyes, weepy nose, any discharge. You can also smell if they have a bad respiratory issue," she said.

Colin Ford runs a large-scale poultry operation in southern WA with 40,000 chickens producing more than 30,000 eggs a day.

The farm shop has now closed and his chickens have been moved inside.

"The [chickens] no longer have access to their free-range area," he said.

He said he was feeling concerned about what the discovery could mean for the industry.

"We're lucky they picked it up at an early stage and we will plan for the worst but hope for the best," he said.

A number of poultry shows have also been cancelled across the south of the state, including in Esperance and in Collie.

NSW, SA on alert

Authorities across the country are also on alert, with hopes of quarantining any disease outbreak to WA.

South Australian Environment Minister Emily Bourke said there were no cases in the state but authorities were ready to mobilise testing.

"There are no cases here in South Australia but we all need to be alert," she said.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said an emergency facility had been established in Orange in the state's central west to monitor any outbreak.

"I know it's devastating for farmers and others that would be hoping or praying that this wouldn't hit the Australian continent, but we're vigilant about the future," he said.

NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin said the industry has strict biosecurity measures in place to reduce the risk of spread, should it arrive on the east coast.

"We've seen in other parts of the world that it hasn't necessarily gone coast to coast. We've been alert that it was highly likely that eventually it would come into our nation," Mr Martin said.

"It is important that people are alert, but not alarmed."