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Australia on Sunday confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a mammal, with the deadly \u200bvirus found in a long-nosed fur seal in South \u200cAustralia state.<\/strong><\/p>\n Australia has been grappling with rising cases of the highly pathogenic avian influenza after it landed in the country in June.<\/p>\n South Australian authorities \u200bconfirmed the nation\u2019s first mammalian detection in the seal, \u200bfound at the coastal town of Beachport, about 310 \u2060km (192 miles) south of Adelaide, the state capital.<\/p>\n The seal, one \u200bof an estimated population of 100,000 in the state\u2019s waters, was found \u200bdead with no signs of injury, the authorities said.<\/p>\n Its death \u201cdoes not appear to be associated with other sick or dead marine mammals,\u201d Federal Agriculture \u200bMinister Julie Collins said in televised remarks.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce the H5 \u200bbird flu is spreading in the natural environment it is not possible to avoid significant \u200closses,\u201d \u2060Collins added.<\/p>\n Australia reported its first mass seabird deaths from the virus this month, marking an escalation of the outbreak that began after the virus was first detected in migratory seabirds before \u200bspreading to native \u200bspecies.<\/p>\n The virus \u2060has yet to show up in Australia\u2019s poultry or agriculture, according to the federal government, which \u200bsaid on Friday that 297 cases have \u200bso far \u2060been confirmed nationwide.<\/p>\n Australia was the last continent to report bird flu, although the virus was detected in late 2025 on the \u2060sub-Antarctic \u200bterritory of Heard Island. More than \u200b13,000 baby seals were killed by the virus on the island, according to \u200blocal media.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n