South Australia reports nation's 1st bird flu case in pelican

CANBERRA -- Australia's first case of the H5N1 strain of avian influenza in a pelican has been detected in South Australia, authorities said on Monday.

The SA Department of Primary Industries and Regions on Monday reported five new confirmed H5N1 bird flu events, including a pelican that was found in the coastal town of Edithburgh about 80 km west of Adelaide.

It marks Australia's first confirmed case of H5N1 bird flu in a pelican and takes the total number of confirmed events in SA to 295.

As of Friday, there had been 521 confirmed events nationally since the deadly strain was first detected in mainland Australia in June.

In addition to the new confirmed events, SA also on Monday reported that samples from a dead sea lion that was found south of Adelaide would be tested for bird flu.

The state on Sunday reported the first confirmed case of the H5N1 strain in an endangered sea lion that was found dead on Kangaroo Island about 100km southwest of Adelaide.

Environment Minister in SA Emily Bourke told reporters on Monday that authorities will not be able to test a dead dolphin that washed ashore at a beach in Adelaide's southern suburbs for bird flu due to decomposition.