WA’s $5 billion poultry industry remains cautious as more cases of a highly infectious bird flu continue to be detected across Australia.

Since June 19, WA has recorded five positive cases of H5N1 in areas stretching from Esperance to the Perth metro area.

On Monday the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry said a giant petrel had returned a “presumed positive” test for the highly infectious strain.

As of Tuesday there were seven positive cases for the virus across Australia.

While the virus has not yet been detected in poultry or native birds, producers across the State have locked down their farms and processing operations to minimise any potential exposure.

Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development deputy director-general biosecurity and emergency management Mia Carbon said the local Esperance community had played an “integral” role in detecting H5N1.

“At this stage, there is no evidence the virus has spread beyond the individual migratory birds but we ask the community to be alert and follow advice about reporting sick or dead animals to the Emergency Animal Disease hotline,” she said.

“As with any biosecurity response, the community is a vital partner and our local command centre on the ground will continue to liaise closely with the Esperance community.”

H5N1 was initially detected on the subantarctic Heard Island last August, where it wiped out about 13,000 southern elephant seal pups — about three-quarters of the pup population on the island — and was detected in king penguin, gentoo penguin, brown skua and South Georgia diving petrel populations.