Health: Australia confirms first H5N1 bird flu case in local mammal

Australia on Sunday confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a mammal, with the deadly virus found in a long-nosed fur seal in South ‌Australia state.

Australia has been grappling with rising cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza after it landed in the country in June.

The country’s first mass seabird deaths from the virus occurred this month, marking an escalation of the outbreak that began after the virus was first detected in migratory seabirds ⁠before spreading to native species.

South Australian authorities confirmed…