00:02A positive result which could lead to extreme consequences for our wildlife.
00:07So we've spent the last few years watching this really terrible disease spread around the world causing utter devastation.
00:16It's killed millions of wild birds, tens of thousands of marine mammals.
00:21It's now certain the petrel which washed up on Moreton Island did carry the H5 bird flu virus.
00:28The animal had initially tested positive in a Queensland laboratory.
00:32Today the CSIRO's Victorian lab verified that result.
00:36This is now the 18th detection we've had in Australia, the first in Queensland.
00:42South Australia has two more suspected cases bringing their total to five.
00:47We have had a Greater Crested turn previously from South Australia from Robe that has tested positive and has been
00:54confirmed positive.
00:55The key concern is how quickly it could spread.
00:58What we don't know yet is whether it's established in mainland populations.
01:03And community concerns are growing.
01:05We've now taken over 8,000 calls nationally to the hotline through the birdflu.gov.au.
01:12As impacts to the economy could be severe.
01:14We're a 100 billion dollar agricultural industry and I suppose in terms of poultry and eggs it's probably around the
01:217 to 8 billion dollar mark.
01:23I suppose eggs particularly being the cheapest protein in times of cost of living.
01:27It's not just bird species under threat.
01:30Populations of the animals they prey upon could become unbalanced too.
01:34More than 600 species around the world have been affected and 100 mammal species as well.
01:42And there are fears Queensland's first confirmed case won't be the last.
01:46The Manifest
01:47The Manifest
01:47The Manifest
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