Wild Island

Second Fur Seal Suspected of H5 as National Outbreak Reaches 309 Events

Aug 24, 2026 8:00 PM

South Australian authorities began investigating a second long-nosed fur seal suspected of H5 infection, one day after Australia confirmed its first case of the virus in a mammal.

The latest seal was found at The Pages Conservation Park, an offshore island group east of Kangaroo Island. Samples were collected and sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong for confirmatory testing. The animal remained a suspected case and had not been confirmed with H5 at the time of this update.

The location is particularly significant. The Pages have already been affected by one of South Australia’s major Greater Crested Tern mortality events, with large numbers of dead birds found across North Page and South Page. The islands are also an important breeding location for the endangered Australian Sea Lion, increasing concern about the potential exposure of marine mammals where H5 is already circulating among seabirds.

The suspected case follows confirmation on 23 August that a long-nosed fur seal found dead at Beachport had tested positive for H5, becoming Australia’s first confirmed mammalian infection during the outbreak.

Even if the second seal is confirmed, however, the detections would not by themselves demonstrate transmission between marine mammals. The Beachport and The Pages animals could have become infected independently through contact with infected birds or contaminated environments. Continued surveillance and genetic analysis will be important in determining whether H5 remains the result of isolated spillover events or whether evidence of transmission among mammals emerges.

South Australia reported no additional confirmed H5 events on 24 August, leaving the state’s total at 194 confirmed events. Five new suspected events were identified, including the long-nosed fur seal at The Pages, Greater Crested Terns at Osborne and two locations in the Coorong, and a White-fronted Tern at Carpenter Rocks. Samples from the suspected events were sent for confirmatory testing.

Nationally, the Australian Government dashboard recorded 309 positive H5 events, with data current to 4:00 pm AEST on 23 August. The figure represents positive events rather than individual infected animals, meaning a single event may involve one bird or multiple birds. More than 26,000 reports of sick or dead wildlife had also been made through the national reporting system.

In Tasmania, the confirmed H5 tally reached 19 detections, with the Little Penguin collected at Grassy on King Island remaining the state’s most recent confirmed case. NRE Tasmania had received more than 1,000 reports of sick or dead birds and other animals as surveillance continued across King Island and Tasmania’s north-west.

The broader Little Penguin mortality event on King Island remained under surveillance. Although 51 dead Little Penguins had previously been recovered, only one had returned a positive H5 result. A second penguin sample was inconclusive, while the condition of most of the other carcasses meant they could not be tested and their causes of death could not be confirmed.

In Victoria, approximately 1,000 Little Penguins on Phillip Island had received their first H5 vaccine dose as the large-scale wildlife vaccination program continued. Authorities aim to vaccinate approximately 5,000 of Phillip Island’s Little Penguins, with each bird requiring a second dose several weeks after the first.

The vaccination program is intended to provide a degree of protection within one of Australia’s most important Little Penguin colonies as H5 continues to circulate in wild birds along the Victorian coastline.

There remained no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the assessed risk to human health remained low.

Authorities continued to urge members of the public not to approach or touch sick or dead birds or marine mammals. Unusual wildlife illness or mortality should be recorded from a safe distance and reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Australia Records Its First H5 Bird Flu Detection in a Mammal

Aug 23, 2026 10:00 PM

Australia recorded its first confirmed H5 bird flu infection in a mammal after a long-nosed fur seal found dead at Beachport on South Australia’s Limestone Coast tested positive for the virus.

The seal had been reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 19 August after being found dead without obvious signs of injury. Initial testing in South Australia was inconclusive, and samples were subsequently sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for urgent testing, where H5 infection was confirmed.

The detection marked an important new stage in Australia’s outbreak. Until this point, all confirmed H5 infections on the Australian mainland had involved wild birds. H5 has infected numerous mammal species overseas, including marine mammals, but the Beachport seal represented the first confirmed spillover into a mammal recorded during Australia’s outbreak.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the development was concerning but not unexpected given the extent of infection now occurring among wild birds. Authorities advised that the Beachport detection did not appear to be associated with other sick or dead marine mammals and that the individual seal was likely to have become infected through exposure to infected birds or a contaminated environment shared with them.

There was therefore no evidence at this stage that H5 was spreading between marine mammals in Australia. The confirmation established that the virus had crossed from its predominantly avian hosts into at least one Australian mammal, but a single infection could not demonstrate sustained mammal to mammal transmission.

The development nevertheless increased concern for Australia’s marine mammal populations. South Australia had reported extensive H5 activity and substantial Greater Crested Tern mortality along its coastline and on offshore islands, bringing infected seabirds and marine mammals into environments where the two may come into close contact.

South Australia also confirmed 10 other H5 events alongside the Beachport fur seal, bringing the state’s total to 194 confirmed events.

The additional detections involved a gannet at West Range; Greater Crested Terns at Christies Beach, Arno Bay, Clayton Bay, South Milang, Avenue Range and Port MacDonnell; a Silver Gull at Goolwa; a Black-faced Cormorant at Normanville; and a Little Penguin at D’Estrees Bay on Kangaroo Island.

The Kangaroo Island result provided another confirmed H5 infection in a Little Penguin following the positive Little Penguin reported on King Island in Tasmania the previous day.

South Australia also identified six additional suspected H5 events, while 22 suspected events remained awaiting confirmation. The newly reported suspects involved Greater Crested Terns at Lipson Island, Goolwa South and Port Stansbury, a Black-faced Cormorant at Semaphore, a Sooty Oystercatcher at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island and a Silver Gull at Semaphore.

Nationally, 298 positive H5 events had been recorded in Australia. Under the national event based reporting system, an event may involve one animal or multiple animals and the figure should not be interpreted as the number of individual animals infected.

There remained no evidence of H5 infection in Australian poultry or agricultural production systems, and the assessed risk to human health remained low.

The Beachport fur seal represented a significant expansion in the range of Australian wildlife known to have been infected during the outbreak. Surveillance of marine mammals would now be particularly important in determining whether the case remained an isolated spillover from infected birds or the shared environment, or whether further mammalian infections would emerge.

King Island Penguin Death Toll Reaches 51 as Tasmania Records Seven New H5 Detections

Aug 21, 2026 10:00 PM

Tasmania recorded seven additional positive H5 bird flu detections, bringing the state’s total to 18. The latest detections involved four Silver Gulls, two Greater Crested Terns and one White-fronted Tern collected from beaches and bays near Currie on King Island. The White-fronted Tern represented the first positive H5 detection recorded in that species in Tasmania.

Samples from the seven birds were sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong for confirmation testing and sequencing.

The developing Little Penguin mortality event on King Island also grew substantially. Another 23 dead Little Penguins were found, bringing the number recovered to 51 after 28 were reported at the Port of Grassy the previous day.

H5 had not yet been confirmed in the penguins. Laboratory testing remained underway, meaning the 51 deaths represented a wildlife mortality event under investigation rather than 51 confirmed H5 cases. The distinction remained particularly important as confirmed H5 activity was simultaneously increasing elsewhere on King Island.

NRE Tasmania increased surveillance and monitoring on the island and deployed additional resources for carcass collection. Authorities warned that further detections were expected as surveillance continued. There remained no detections of H5 bird flu in Tasmanian poultry.

Victoria also extended mandatory poultry housing requirements across affected southern parts of the state for at least another 28 days as H5 continued to spread among wild birds.

The requirement applies to poultry owners with 50 or more birds in designated coastal and southern shires and is intended to reduce contact between poultry and wild birds. Housing remains recommended elsewhere in Victoria where practical. The original requirement had been introduced for 14 days on 7 August and had been due to expire on 21 August.

Agriculture Victoria said numerous disease events had occurred along the Victorian coastline during the previous fortnight, with H5 detections now extending along most of the state’s coast. Most involved bird species that remain close to coastal environments, reinforcing authorities’ assessment that poultry in southern Victoria currently faces the greatest risk.

Officials also warned that the approaching wild bird breeding season could result in communities encountering increasing numbers of sick and dead birds around beaches, wetlands and waterways as birds congregate in greater numbers.

Nationally, the Australian Government dashboard recorded 290 positive H5 events in wild birds, with data current to 4:00 pm AEST on 20 August. The national total now represents positive events rather than individual infected birds, with an event potentially involving one bird or multiple birds.

All confirmed Australian detections remained in wild birds, with no H5 detections in poultry or the wider agricultural industry. The assessed risk to human health remained low.

Authorities continued to ask members of the public not to touch sick or dead birds or other wildlife. Unusual wildlife illness or mortality should be recorded and reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Mass Tern Deaths in South Australia as Little Penguin Mortalities Raise New Concerns

Aug 20, 2026 8:30 PM

South Australia reported a major escalation in wildlife mortality, with surveillance teams identifying three mass mortality events involving more than 1,000 Greater Crested Terns on remote offshore islands. The birds were found at Troubridge Island off Yorke Peninsula and North Page and South Page off Kangaroo Island, with most of the deaths occurring around the Page Islands. South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas said the terns were presumed to have died from H5N1 bird flu. The deaths should not be interpreted as more than 1,000 individually confirmed H5 infections, as the birds involved in the mass mortality events had not each been laboratory tested.

The three events represented a substantial increase in the scale of wildlife mortality recorded since H5 arrived in mainland Australia. South Australia had previously recorded the country’s first confirmed mass mortality associated with the virus at Baudin Rocks, south of Cape Jaffa, where Greater Crested Terns were again the species primarily affected. The South Australian Government described the latest discoveries as a significant escalation and said further mass mortality events were expected as surveillance continued.

Seven additional H5 detections were also confirmed in South Australia, involving Greater Crested Terns, a Silver Gull and an Australian Raven at locations including the Barossa and Eyre Peninsula. South Australia reported 177 confirmed H5 detections at the time of the announcement. The detection in an Australian Raven was particularly notable as surveillance continued to identify the virus beyond the seabird species that have accounted for many of Australia’s cases to date.

Authorities were also investigating a Little Penguin from Kangaroo Island after it returned a suspected H5 result. The sample was being sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong for confirmation. The penguin remained a suspected case and had not yet been confirmed as infected with H5.

The South Australian Government also confirmed that targeted vaccination was being actively considered for some wildlife. Captive birds at locations including Cleland Wildlife Park and Adelaide Zoo were identified as the most practical initial candidates because the vaccine requires two doses, making widespread vaccination of free ranging wild birds extremely difficult. Vaccination of wild penguins could potentially be considered under some circumstances, but authorities stressed that no animals would be vaccinated until the appropriate approvals and risk assessments were in place.

In Tasmania, surveillance teams discovered a separate mortality event involving 28 dead Little Penguins and three dead Greater Crested Terns at the Port of Grassy on King Island. Samples were collected and sent to Tasmania’s Animal Health Laboratory for testing, while the carcasses were being removed to minimise any potential for further disease transmission. Importantly, H5 had not been confirmed as the cause of these 31 deaths at the time of the announcement.

Tasmania’s confirmed total therefore remained at 11 wild birds, seven of them on King Island. H5 had first been confirmed in Tasmania only one week earlier, in a Brown Skua found at Burgess Cove in Rocky Cape National Park, before subsequent detections in Greater Crested Terns and Silver Gulls. NRE Tasmania increased surveillance, monitoring and carcass collection capacity on King Island following the latest discovery and warned that further reports of sick and dead birds were expected as surveillance continued.

The King Island mortality event is particularly significant because of the number of Little Penguins involved. If laboratory testing confirms H5 infection, it would mark a substantial new development in Tasmania’s outbreak and raise further concern about transmission among seabird populations around Bass Strait. For now, however, the distinction remains important: the 28 Little Penguins were found dead during surveillance, but their cause of death had not been established.

Victoria also changed the way it reports H5 bird flu, moving from individual bird detections to the national event based reporting framework from 20 August. Agriculture Victoria said it would now report positive events rather than relying on an individual case tally, recognising that a single event may involve one bird or many and that not every bird will be sampled in areas where transmission is already known to be occurring. Separate Victorian laboratory reporting on 20 August recorded 19 additional positive birds, bringing the state’s laboratory confirmed total to 104 birds across 70 investigations.

Nationally, the Australian Government dashboard recorded 277 positive H5 events in wild birds, with data current to 4:00 pm AEST on 19 August. Since 12 August, the national figure has represented events rather than individual infected birds, meaning it cannot be directly compared with the earlier national case totals. An event may involve a single bird or multiple birds, and authorities have increasingly shifted testing towards identifying new locations, affected species and significant mortality events rather than testing every bird in areas where the virus is already known to be circulating.

All confirmed Australian H5 detections remained in wild birds. There had been no detections in commercial or domestic poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the assessed risk to human health remained low. Authorities continued to urge members of the public not to touch sick or dead wildlife and to report unusual mortality events to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

The developments on 20 August marked one of the most consequential days of Australia’s H5 outbreak to date. More than 1,000 presumed H5 related tern deaths in South Australia demonstrated the potential for substantial mortality within vulnerable wildlife congregations, while the discovery of 28 dead Little Penguins on King Island raised a separate and still unanswered question about the virus’s impact on another iconic Australian seabird. Laboratory testing of the King Island penguins and confirmatory testing of the suspected Kangaroo Island Little Penguin were continuing.

Hundreds of Bird Deaths Investigated at Portland

Aug 19, 2026 8:00 PM

Hundreds of dead and dying birds were reported along the coastline around Portland in south west Victoria, prompting concern that H5 bird flu may be responsible for the mortality event. 

Large numbers of carcasses were reported on local beaches, with Greater Crested Terns among the birds most visibly affected. Residents also reported finding birds still alive but showing severe illness, including difficulty standing and abnormal movement. 

H5 bird flu had previously been confirmed around Portland, where Victoria recorded its first H5 detection in a Greater Crested Tern in late July. Surveillance earlier in August had already identified an increase in dead terns along the south west Victorian coastline.

Despite the location and circumstances, authorities had not confirmed that H5 bird flu was responsible for the latest mass mortality event by the evening of 19 August. Reports were being investigated, and the deaths remained suspected of being associated with H5 pending further official information. 

The event represented one of the most substantial concentrations of sick and dead wild birds publicly reported in Victoria since H5 arrived in the state and followed increasing detections and mortality among seabirds along Australia’s southern coastline.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, while the risk to human health remained low.

Tasmania Reaches Ten H5 Detections as Vaccination Begins at Phillip Island

Aug 17, 2026 8:00 PM

Tasmania’s number of positive H5 bird flu detections increased from six to ten, with four additional birds testing positive on King Island.

The latest detections involved two Crested Terns and two Silver Gulls found at three locations around Currie. The results expanded the range of species affected in Tasmania, with Silver Gulls joining Crested Terns and the Brown Skua in which the state’s first H5N1 infection was identified. Samples from the latest birds were sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing and sequencing.

Tasmania’s positive detections were now spread across King Island and several locations along the state’s North West Coast. Despite the increasing number of infected birds, there continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Tasmania’s poultry industry.

South Australia reported that its cumulative individual bird tally had reached 297 confirmed H5 detections after CSIRO confirmed another Greater Crested Tern and Silver Gull from Port MacDonnell. Four additional suspected cases were identified, leaving fourteen suspected birds awaiting confirmation. 

South Australia also moved to the nationally agreed event based reporting system from 17 August. Future surveillance reporting would increasingly focus on newly affected species and locations, changing patterns and significant mortality events rather than maintaining a running tally of every infected bird.

In Victoria, the targeted vaccination program for Little Penguins at Phillip Island began following the first confirmed H5 death within the colony. The program forms part of Australia’s emerging use of vaccination to protect particularly vulnerable wildlife populations as H5 continues to spread.

The Australian Government reported 239 positive H5 events nationally as at 4:00 pm on 16 August. Under the event based reporting system introduced on 12 August, a single event may involve one or multiple birds, meaning the figure is not directly comparable with earlier national totals based on individual infected birds. All confirmed Australian detections continued to involve wild birds, with no detections in poultry or the wider agricultural industry. 

In New South Wales, H5N1 was ruled out as the cause of the deaths of approximately 400 young pelicans discovered at Lake Cawndilla in the Menindee Lakes earlier in August. Laboratory samples returned negative results for bird flu, while investigations into the cause of the mass mortality event continued and could take several weeks. 

The risk to human health from H5 bird flu continued to be assessed as low.

Tasmania Records Six H5 Detections Across the North West

Aug 16, 2026 8:00 PM

Tasmania’s number of positive H5 bird flu detections increased to six after two Crested Terns found at Burnie and Sulphur Creek, near Penguin, returned positive test results.

Both birds had been reported by members of the public on 15 August. The new detections followed earlier positives at Rocky Cape and King Island, meaning H5 had now been identified at several separate locations across Tasmania’s north-western region.

NRE Tasmania said there was still no evidence of a wider outbreak and no detections in commercial or domestic poultry. Chicken meat and eggs remained safe to eat when handled and cooked properly.

On the same day the two latest birds were reported, NRE Tasmania conducted around 760 kilometres of aerial surveillance across the North West. Nearly seven hours of footage were captured, with no mass mortalities or obvious signs of H5 bird flu identified by the aircrew. The footage was to undergo more detailed analysis.

Authorities continued to encourage poultry owners to maintain practical biosecurity measures aimed at reducing contact between domestic birds and wild birds. Voluntary housing remained the recommended approach for poultry producers in Tasmania.

Nationally, the Australian Government continued to report the outbreak using its event based system, with 236 positive H5 events recorded as at 4:00 pm on 15 August. The event total was not directly comparable with the earlier national count of individual infected birds.

Victoria remained at seventy four laboratory positive birds following the previous day’s confirmation of H5 in a Little Penguin from Phillip Island and Greater Crested Terns from Lakes Entrance and Dromana.

South Australia’s most recent individual bird tally remained at 265 confirmed detections ahead of its transition to event based reporting from 17 August.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

H5 Bird Flu Reaches Phillip Island’s Little Penguins

Aug 15, 2026 9:00 PM

Victoria confirmed the first H5 bird flu detection in a Little Penguin from Phillip Island, just days after authorities announced plans to vaccinate thousands of penguins against the virus. The affected bird died.

The detection came as Victoria prepared to begin vaccinating Little Penguins at Phillip Island on 17 August. More than 5,000 penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda were expected to be targeted under the program, which authorities described as the largest vaccination program involving wild birds undertaken anywhere in the world.

Agriculture Victoria confirmed two other H5 positive wild birds: a Greater Crested Tern from Lakes Entrance and another Greater Crested Tern from Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula. The Lakes Entrance detection marked the first confirmed H5 case in East Gippsland, extending the known geographic spread of the virus further east across Victoria.

Tasmania recorded its second positive H5 detection after a Crested Tern collected near Currie on King Island returned a positive result. The bird was reported through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline and collected by the Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania. Samples were sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing.

Two additional Crested Terns reported from the same King Island location were also submitted for testing and remained suspected cases pending laboratory results. The King Island detection followed Tasmania’s first confirmed H5N1 case in a Brown Skua from Burgess Cove in Rocky Cape National Park.

South Australia’s latest published update recorded another twenty four confirmed H5 positive wild birds, taking its cumulative individual bird tally to 265. The confirmations included eighteen Greater Crested Terns, three Silver Gulls, a Peregrine Falcon on Kangaroo Island and two Black faced Cormorants at Carpenter Rocks. A further thirty nine suspected cases remained awaiting confirmation.

The Australian Government continued reporting the outbreak through its new event based system rather than maintaining a national count of individual infected birds. The latest federal dashboard recorded 219 positive events as at 4:00 pm on 14 August, although subsequent state detections had not yet been incorporated.

South Australia was also preparing to transition to event based reporting from 17 August, with future surveillance increasingly focused on newly affected species and locations, significant mortality events and changes in the pattern of the outbreak rather than testing and counting every individual bird.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry. Victoria’s poultry housing requirements remained in force across designated areas, and the risk to human health continued to be assessed as low.

Tasmania Records Second H5 Detection on King Island

Aug 14, 2026 10:00 PM

Tasmania recorded its second confirmed H5 bird flu detection after a Crested Tern collected from the coast near Currie on King Island tested positive.

The bird had been reported through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline and was collected by Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania staff. Testing completed overnight confirmed the infection, one day after Tasmania’s first H5N1 detection was identified in a Brown Skua at Rocky Cape National Park.

Two additional Crested Terns were subsequently reported from the same King Island location and were awaiting test results. The birds remained suspected cases pending laboratory confirmation.

The second detection meant H5 had now been identified at two geographically separate locations in Tasmania. Biosecurity measures continued to increase across the state, with poultry owners encouraged to reduce contact between domestic and wild birds and wildlife facilities tightening their operating procedures. The Royal Hobart Poultry and Pigeon Show was also cancelled as a precaution.

Victoria confirmed eleven additional H5 positive wild birds, increasing its laboratory confirmed total to seventy one detections from fifty investigations. Most of the new detections involved terns, alongside two Silver Gulls and a Fluttering Shearwater.

The Fluttering Shearwater represented Victoria’s first confirmed H5 detection in that species. The new positive birds were found primarily around Warrnambool, Port Fairy and Apollo Bay, with another detection at Christmas Hills.

South Australia confirmed another twenty four H5 positive wild birds. These included Greater Crested Terns, Silver Gulls, a Peregrine Falcon on Kangaroo Island and two Black faced Cormorants at Carpenter Rocks. A further five suspected birds were identified and remained awaiting confirmation.

The Australian Government continued its transition to event based reporting, under which a confirmed event may involve one or multiple infected birds. The latest federal dashboard had not yet incorporated Tasmania’s second confirmed detection by the end of the day.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

Tasmania Records Its First H5N1 Detection

Aug 13, 2026 8:45 PM

Tasmania confirmed its first detection of H5N1 bird flu after laboratory testing identified the virus in a dead Brown Skua found at Burgess Cove in Rocky Cape National Park on the state’s north west coast.

The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania had been alerted to the carcass by Parks and Wildlife Service staff undertaking active surveillance of coastal areas. Testing completed overnight confirmed the infection. Authorities said the detection involved a single bird and there was no evidence at that stage of a wider outbreak or infection in Tasmania’s commercial poultry sector.

Tasmania activated its H5 bird flu response arrangements and increased surveillance around the detection area. The state had already completed more than 980 kilometres of aerial coastline surveillance as part of preparations for the expected arrival of the virus, alongside planning to protect vulnerable wildlife and the agricultural sector.

Wildlife rehabilitation organisations across Tasmania also began activating heightened biosecurity and modifying admission procedures following confirmation of H5N1.

The detection came as Tasmania prepared to participate in Australia’s newly announced wildlife vaccination program. Approximately 350 captive Orange bellied Parrots at the Five Mile Beach breeding facility were being prioritised for vaccination, while authorities continued planning for other species considered particularly vulnerable to H5 bird flu.

Elsewhere, South Australia confirmed another twenty nine H5 positive wild seabirds, comprising nineteen Greater Crested Terns and ten Silver Gulls. The confirmations increased the state’s individual confirmed detection tally to 241, with a further twenty seven suspected cases awaiting confirmation.

Victoria reported sixty nine laboratory confirmed H5 positive birds. Its mandatory housing requirement for poultry flocks of fifty or more birds remained in place across designated areas of southern Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

The Australian Government had also moved to event based reporting from 12 August, replacing individual bird detections as the principal national measure of the outbreak. At 4:00 pm on 13 August, 186 confirmed H5 events were recorded nationally: ten in Western Australia, 123 in South Australia, four in New South Wales, one in Queensland and forty eight in Victoria. Tasmania’s newly confirmed detection had not yet been incorporated into the national dashboard.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

Australia Prepares World’s Largest Wild Bird Vaccination Program

Aug 12, 2026 8:30 PM

Following the previous day’s announcement that Australia would begin vaccinating priority native birds against H5 bird flu, Victoria unveiled plans to vaccinate more than 5,000 Little Penguins at Phillip Island and St Kilda.

Vaccine supplies had arrived at Phillip Island and were expected to begin being administered early the following week, subject to final regulatory approvals. Each penguin would require two doses, meaning birds would need to be captured twice during the program.

Phillip Island Nature Parks said the operation was believed to be the largest vaccination program involving wild birds undertaken anywhere in the world. Little Penguins regularly return to the same colonies and burrows, providing authorities with an unusual opportunity to vaccinate and subsequently monitor a free ranging wild population.

There had been no confirmed H5 infections in Little Penguins in Victoria or elsewhere in Australia. The vaccination program was preventative and intended to reduce the potential impact of the virus should it reach the colonies.

The broader Victorian vaccination rollout would also prioritise vulnerable species held in captivity, including birds within zoos and other managed conservation populations, as states and territories began implementing the national vaccination strategy announced by Agriculture Minister Julie Collins.

At the same time, H5 was confirmed at Phillip Island itself.

Agriculture Victoria confirmed another seven Greater Crested Terns with H5 bird flu, including birds from Phillip Island, Mildura, Warrnambool, Hamilton, Hawkesdale and St Andrews Beach. The detections increased Victoria’s laboratory confirmed total to sixty positive birds.

The Phillip Island case involved a Greater Crested Tern rather than a Little Penguin, but placed confirmed H5 infection at the location of one of Australia’s most significant seabird colonies as preparations for the penguin vaccination program continued.

Australia also changed the way the national outbreak would be reported. From 12 August, the Australian Government moved from counting individual infected birds to reporting confirmed positive events, with one event potentially involving one or many birds.

The new system recorded 151 confirmed H5 events nationally by 7:00 pm: ten in Western Australia, ninety-three in South Australia, four in New South Wales, one in Queensland and forty-three in Victoria.

The previous individual bird count had reached 236 confirmed detections on 11 August. Authorities said individual bird numbers were becoming less useful as transmission became established and not every bird in known affected areas would require testing. National surveillance would increasingly focus on new locations, newly affected species and other significant developments.

The Melbourne Royal Show also cancelled poultry exhibitions and competitions for 2026 as a precaution against H5 bird flu. There remained no confirmed infection in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry.

Tasmania remained without a confirmed H5 detection, while the risk to human health continued to be assessed as low.

Australia Announces Vaccination Program for Vulnerable Native Birds

Aug 11, 2026 7:00 PM

The Australian Government announced that vaccination against H5 bird flu would begin for priority native bird species, marking a significant expansion of the national wildlife response.

Captive populations would be prioritised, with states and territories determining which species should receive vaccination according to their vulnerability to H5 bird flu and the potential conservation impact of an outbreak. Vaccination of wild birds may also occur where practical, although widespread vaccination of free ranging populations was considered unfeasible because two doses are required.

The Australian Government had secured an initial $2 million worth of vaccine. Authorities stressed that vaccination would complement rather than replace biosecurity, surveillance and other measures intended to protect vulnerable wildlife.

The national confirmed detection total remained at 231, comprising ten detections in Western Australia, 163 in South Australia, four in New South Wales, one in Queensland and fifty-three in Victoria.

South Australia reported no new confirmed detections but identified thirty-three additional suspected cases. These included twenty-one Greater Crested Terns, eleven Silver Gulls and a Peregrine Falcon from Kangaroo Island. All remained preliminary pending confirmatory testing by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Federal authorities also indicated that national reporting would increasingly focus on confirmed outbreak events, newly affected locations and species rather than maintaining a running count of every individual infected bird.

There continued to be no confirmed detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry. Tasmania remained free of detected H5 bird flu.

National H5 Total Reaches 220

Aug 9, 2026 9:00 PM

The Australian Government reported that the national number of confirmed H5 bird flu detections had increased to 220.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed another five Greater Crested Terns from Carpenter Rocks on South Australia’s Limestone Coast. South Australia’s confirmed total increased from 147 to 152.

The national total comprised ten detections in Western Australia, 152 in South Australia, four in New South Wales, one in Queensland and fifty-three in Victoria.

Agriculture Victoria continued to report fifty-three confirmed birds across thirty-seven locations, while the state’s mandatory housing requirement for poultry flocks of fifty or more birds remained in place across designated areas of southern Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

Tasmania remained free of detected H5 bird flu. There continued to be no confirmed detections in Australian poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

H5 Reaches Native Birds in NSW and Moves Deep Inland

Aug 8, 2026 8:00 PM

New South Wales confirmed its first H5 bird flu infections in Australian native birds after two Greater Crested Terns tested positive. One bird was found near Narooma on the South Coast and the other near Wentworth in far western New South Wales.

The Wentworth detection represented the furthest inland confirmed H5 bird flu case reported in Australia to date. The two detections increased New South Wales’ confirmed total from two to four. The state’s earlier cases, recorded near Port Stephens in July, involved migratory giant petrels.

Victoria reported fifty-three confirmed H5 detections from thirty-seven investigations as at 8:00 am. Later in the day, another ten Greater Crested Terns were confirmed from south-west Victoria and Clyde, taking the state’s running total to sixty-three. Victoria’s mandatory poultry housing requirement for flocks of fifty or more birds remained in place across designated areas of southern Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne.

The national number of confirmed H5 detections increased to 215. There continued to be no confirmed detections in Australian poultry or livestock, and the risk to human health remained low.

Victoria Orders Poultry Housing as H5 Detections Spread East

Aug 7, 2026 10:00 PM

Victoria introduced Australia’s first mandatory poultry housing requirement during the H5 bird flu outbreak as confirmed detections continued to spread across the state. Poultry flocks of fifty or more birds in designated areas of metropolitan Melbourne and southern Victoria were required to be housed, or otherwise prevented from having contact with wild birds, for an initial fourteen days.

Agriculture Victoria reported forty-seven confirmed H5 detections in wild birds, up from twenty-three the previous day. In addition to the previously affected areas around Portland and Nelson, confirmed cases had now been identified at Yambuk, Apollo Bay and Clyde. There remained no detections in poultry or livestock.

South Australia’s confirmed total rose from eighty-seven to 119 following confirmation of another thirty-two cases. The figure did not include birds involved in the mass mortality event at Baudin Rocks near Robe, where large numbers of Greater Crested Terns had died.

The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer separately reported 175 confirmed or presumed positive H5 detections nationally, based on samples tested. This figure included preliminary results and was therefore higher than the confirmed case tally alone.

The Royal Adelaide Show cancelled its poultry and bird competitions and exhibits as a precautionary biosecurity measure, while the Port Lincoln Show also withdrew poultry from its program.

Tasmania remained free of detected H5 bird flu. There continued to be no confirmed detections in Australian poultry or the agricultural production system, and the risk to human health remained very low.

H5 Confirmed in Magpie as National Total Reaches 123

Aug 6, 2026 9:45 PM

The Australian Government reported that the national number of confirmed H5 bird flu detections had risen from 101 to 123. The national total comprised ten detections in Western Australia, eighty-seven in South Australia, two in New South Wales, one in Queensland and twenty-three in Victoria.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed another sixteen positive birds in Victoria. These comprised fourteen Greater Crested Terns, one Silver Gull and one magpie, all found in the vicinity of Portland and Nelson. Victoria’s confirmed total increased from seven to twenty-three.

The magpie represented a significant expansion in the range of Australian birds confirmed with H5 bird flu. Unlike the seabirds involved in most previous detections, magpies are widely distributed through urban, agricultural and inland environments.

South Australia confirmed another six Greater Crested Terns, including birds from Port Vincent, Pullen Island, Southend, Pelican Point and Vivonne Bay. The state’s confirmed total increased from eighty-one to eighty-seven.

A further twenty-three suspected detections were identified in South Australia, increasing the number awaiting confirmation to fifty-seven. These included Greater Crested Terns, Silver Gulls and two suspected Pacific Gulls from locations across metropolitan Adelaide, the Fleurieu Peninsula, Limestone Coast and Kangaroo Island.

Tasmania remained free of confirmed H5 bird flu detections. There continued to be no confirmed detections in poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

Twelve Further Suspected Cases Identified in South Australia

Aug 5, 2026 7:30 PM

South Australia reported twelve new suspected H5 bird flu detections, all involving Greater Crested Terns. Eight birds were found at Beachport on the Limestone Coast, three at Seal Bay on Kangaroo Island and one at Port Elliot on the Fleurieu Peninsula. The samples were sent to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing.

No additional South Australian cases were confirmed during the day. The state remained at eighty-one confirmed detections, while the number of suspected cases awaiting confirmation increased from twenty-eight to forty.

The Australian Government revised the national confirmed tally to 101 after reporting 102 the previous day. Victoria’s total was listed as seven confirmed detections rather than eight, although no explanation for the correction had been published. Victoria also reported thirty-three suspected cases from the Portland and Nelson area awaiting confirmation.

Tasmania remained free of confirmed H5 bird flu detections. There continued to be no confirmed detections in poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

Confirmed H5 Detections Pass 100

Aug 4, 2026 9:40PM

The Australian Government reported that the national number of confirmed H5 bird flu detections had risen to 102, passing one hundred for the first time since the virus was detected in Australia. The national total comprised ten detections in Western Australia, eighty one in South Australia, two in New South Wales, one in Queensland and eight in Victoria.

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed another twenty three H5 positive Greater Crested Terns in South Australia. The birds were found at Southend and Robe on the Limestone Coast, and at Harriet River, Seal Bay, Vivonne Bay and D’Estrees Bay on Kangaroo Island. The results confirmed multiple detections across Kangaroo Island and increased South Australia’s confirmed total from fifty eight to eighty one.

Two further suspected cases were identified in Greater Crested Terns at Southend and Pelican Point and sent to CSIRO for confirmatory testing. South Australia reported twenty eight suspected detections still awaiting confirmation, down from forty nine the previous day as earlier samples were transferred into the confirmed tally.

Victoria’s confirmed total also increased from seven to eight, although further information about the additional detection had not yet been published by state authorities. Tasmania remained free of confirmed H5 bird flu detections.

There continued to be no confirmed H5 bird flu detections in poultry or the wider agricultural industry, and the risk to human health remained low.

First H5N1 Mass Mortality Event Confirmed

Aug 3, 2026 8:30 PM

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed that high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) caused the mass mortality event involving Greater Crested Terns at Baudin Rocks, near Cape Jaffa in South Australia. Samples from five terns and one Silver Gull returned positive results after aerial surveillance had identified 49 dead and 35 sick Greater Crested Terns at the site. The findings confirmed Australia’s first documented mass mortality event associated with the current H5N1 outbreak.

CSIRO also confirmed eighteen additional detections across South Australia, increasing the state’s total to fifty-four. The newly confirmed birds included detections at Baudin Rocks, Pages Islands, Troubridge Island, Southend, Glenelg, Monarto and the Coorong. The Coorong detection was particularly significant because the internationally important wetland supports large populations of waterbirds and migratory species, raising concern that the virus may be moving beyond coastal seabird colonies into habitats used by a broader range of birds. 

Victoria confirmed seven H5 detections in Greater Crested Terns, comprising five birds from Portland and two from Nelson. Aerial and ground surveillance also identified clusters of dead and sick terns around the Glenelg River estuary near Nelson and across Lawrence Rocks. Samples were collected for testing, with authorities investigating whether Victoria had experienced Australia’s second H5 associated mass mortality event. 

The Victorian investigation marked a shift from isolated detections to visible mortality across part of the state’s south-west coastline. The affected region includes the Glenelg Estuary and Discovery Bay wetlands, an important Australasian Gannet breeding colony and nearby seal colonies. Victorian authorities also identified Little Penguins among the species requiring close monitoring as surveillance and threatened-species preparedness expanded. 

The Australian Government reported a national total of seventy-four confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections: ten in Western Australia, fifty-four in South Australia, two in New South Wales, seven in Victoria and one in Queensland. Environment Minister Murray Watt warned that Australia was beginning what was likely to be a long and difficult period for wildlife, while Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said Australians should expect further spread and increasing numbers of affected wild animals. 

Tasmania remained free of confirmed H5 bird flu detections but continued preparing for its possible arrival. State authorities urged poultry owners to strengthen biosecurity by limiting contact between domestic birds and wildlife, while maintaining the message that Tasmania was alert but not alarmed. Nationally, there remained no detections in poultry or the wider agricultural production system, and the risk to the general public remained low.

Australia Investigates First Suspected H5N1 Mass Mortality Event

Aug 1, 2026 8:35 PM

South Australian authorities identified Australia’s first suspected mass mortality event associated with high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) after aerial surveillance detected 49 dead and 35 sick Greater Crested Terns on Baudin Rocks near Cape Jaffa. Samples were collected for laboratory testing, with results expected in the coming days. If confirmed, it would represent Australia’s first documented mass mortality event linked to the current H5N1 outbreak.

Victoria also expanded its response after Agriculture Victoria announced six additional suspected H5 bird flu detections in Greater Crested Terns from Portland and Nelson Bay. Together with the state’s first confirmed case, Victoria now has one confirmed and six suspected detections awaiting confirmatory testing by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

South Australia also reported additional suspected H5 detections in Greater Crested Terns and Silver Gulls, reflecting the continued expansion of the outbreak among resident coastal bird species. As of 2:00 pm AEST, Australia had recorded 53 confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections across five states.

Despite the escalating outbreak, there continue to be no detections in poultry or the wider agricultural sector, and the risk to the general public remains low. Authorities continue to urge members of the public to avoid handling sick or dead wildlife and to report unusual illness or mortality events through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Victoria Confirms First H5N1 Detection as Surveillance Expands

Jul 31, 2026 7:30 PM

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Greater Crested Tern found near Portland in south-west Victoria, marking the state’s first confirmed detection. The confirmation followed earlier evidence of local transmission among Greater Crested Terns in neighbouring South Australia and prompted Victoria to expand surveillance and response activities.

Authorities also confirmed Australia’s first H5N1 detection in a seagull, signalling that the virus is no longer confined to migratory seabirds and Giant Petrels. The detection highlighted the increasing likelihood of further cases in resident coastal bird species as H5N1 continues to circulate in wild bird populations.

In South Australia, surveillance intensified around Kangaroo Island after additional H5 detections in Greater Crested Terns, including birds associated with the Seal Bay region. The response reflected growing concern for nearby Australian Sea Lion colonies, although there continue to be no confirmed H5N1 infections in Australian marine mammals.

Australia has now recorded 33 confirmed or presumed-positive detections across Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria. Despite the expanding wildlife outbreak, there continue to be no detections in poultry or the wider agricultural sector, and the risk to the general public remains low.

Victoria Records First H5 Detection

Jul 30, 2026 7:40 PM

Victoria announced its first preliminary positive detection of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) after testing identified the virus in a Greater Crested Tern found near Portland in the state’s south-west.

The bird had been reported on 28 July and further laboratory testing was undertaken to fully characterise the virus, while Victoria activated its State Emergency Animal Disease Response Plan and expanded surveillance activities. The detection was particularly significant because it involved the same resident seabird species in which local transmission had already been identified in neighbouring South Australia.

On the same day, CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed H5 bird flu in a Giant Petrel found at Port Lincoln on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. The Australian Government reported a national total of twenty-eight confirmed or presumed-positive detections, comprising ten in Western Australia, fifteen in South Australia, two in New South Wales and one in Queensland.

South Australia also announced thirteen additional preliminary positive Greater Crested Terns. Their samples were forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing and were therefore not included in the published national total.

At the time of the Australian Government’s update, the national tally did not yet include Victoria’s preliminary positive detection. The difference reflected the timing of announcements and laboratory reporting rather than conflicting surveillance results.

All confirmed and presumed-positive detections continue to involve wild seabirds found in coastal locations. There are no detections in poultry or the wider agricultural sector, and authorities continue to report no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu.

CCEAD Confirms Local Transmission

Jul 29, 2026 7:20 PM

The Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD) concluded that some local transmission of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) had occurred between Greater Crested Terns in South Australia.

The assessment was based on CSIRO laboratory testing and genetic sequencing from ten infected Greater Crested Terns. Although all of the viruses remained related to strains previously detected in Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories, the sequences from the terns were far more closely related to one another than those previously detected in migratory petrels and the Brown Skua.

CCEAD also considered the species involved, the geographic distribution of the detections, and eleven additional preliminary positive Greater Crested Terns awaiting confirmatory testing. While it was not possible to determine exactly where transmission had occurred, the available genetic and epidemiological evidence was consistent with local spread within the resident Greater Crested Tern population.

The committee concluded that the outbreak was no longer limited to separate infections in individual migratory seabirds, with evidence that the virus is spreading between resident Australian birds. It also warned that further transmission among wild birds and other susceptible wildlife was possible and acknowledged that, once H5 became established in free living wildlife, eradication from the natural environment would not be feasible.

Seven Greater Crested Terns Confirmed Positive

Jul 28, 2026 7:20 PM

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in all seven Greater Crested Terns from the Limestone Coast investigation.

The confirmed birds included one from Cape Jaffa, five from Southend and one from Port MacDonnell. The national total increased from twenty to twenty-seven confirmed or presumed-positive detections.

Further laboratory analysis was commissioned to determine whether the infected terns represented local transmission of the virus. The five confirmed birds from Southend formed the largest geographic cluster of H5 detections recorded in Australia since the outbreak began.

Although authorities had not yet concluded that local transmission had occurred, the outbreak was no longer characterised solely by isolated detections in individual migratory seabirds. Multiple confirmed Greater Crested Terns have now been identified across closely connected locations along South Australia’s Limestone Coast, representing the strongest evidence to date that the epidemiology of the outbreak was changing.

Cluster of Resident Birds Identified

South Australian authorities announced seven preliminary positive H5 detections in Greater Crested Terns along the Limestone Coast.

One bird was found at Cape Jaffa, one at Port MacDonnell and five near Southend Jetty, south of Beachport. Four of the Southend birds were alive but showing signs of illness when collected, while one was found dead.

The birds returned preliminary positive results during testing in South Australia and were forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing. If all seven are confirmed, South Australia’s total will increase to fourteen detections.

The cluster marks a significant departure from the earlier pattern of isolated detections in individual wild seabirds. Multiple resident Greater Crested Terns have now been identified within a relatively concentrated section of coastline, prompting authorities to expand targeted surveillance in locations frequented by the species.

More Greater Crested Terns Confirmed

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in two additional Greater Crested Terns found at Robe and Semaphore in South Australia.

The national total increased to twenty confirmed or presumed-positive detections. The new confirmations mean that infection in a resident Australian wild bird is no longer limited to the single Greater Crested Tern found at Robe earlier in July.

Greater Crested Terns have now tested positive at more than one South Australian coastal location, including the first confirmed detection in metropolitan Adelaide. Although authorities have not publicly concluded that transmission has occurred between the birds, the pattern is becoming increasingly difficult to explain solely through separate introductions by migratory seabirds.

Queensland Records First H5 Detection

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in a petrel found on Moreton Island, Queensland.

The result marks Queensland’s first confirmed detection and increases Australia’s total to eighteen confirmed or presumed-positive detections. H5 bird flu has now been identified in wild seabirds across Western Australia, South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland, extending the outbreak’s known distribution along much of Australia’s coastline.

Despite the widening geographic distribution, all confirmed and presumed-positive detections continue to involve individual wild seabirds found in coastal locations. Authorities continue to report no detections in poultry and no confirmed evidence that the virus has spread between resident Australian wild birds.

South Australia Launches H5 Information Hub

South Australia launched a dedicated high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) information hub as surveillance and public reporting continued across the state.

The online resource brought together information for poultry owners, wildlife carers, birdwatchers and the wider community. It also provided updates on the state’s response, reporting procedures and upcoming community information sessions.

No new confirmed or presumed-positive detections were announced on this date. Instead, the focus shifted towards strengthening public communication, improving access to official information, and supporting ongoing surveillance and reporting efforts.

Australia now has seventeen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. Public health and biosecurity agencies continue to expand community engagement while poultry remains free of infection and authorities continue to investigate whether local transmission has occurred.

More Presumed Positive Detections Reported

Western Australian authorities classified two petrels as presumed-positive detections of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI).

One bird was found at Parry Beach, near Denmark on Western Australia’s south coast, while the other was found at Seabird, north of Perth. CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness was unable to obtain sufficient genetic material to fully characterise either virus. Based on the available laboratory evidence, both birds were classified as presumed-positive detections and continued to be managed as H5 bird flu.

The national total increased to seventeen confirmed or presumed-positive detections, with confirmed and presumed-positive birds now recorded across Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales.

Australia now has seventeen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. Authorities continue to report no detections in poultry, no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu, and only one detection in a resident Australian wild bird.

New South Wales Confirms Second H5 Detection

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in a Giant Petrel found at Bennetts Beach, Hawks Nest in New South Wales.

The result increased Australia’s total to fifteen confirmed or presumed-positive detections. New South Wales has now recorded two confirmed detections from the same general coastal area.

The second confirmation strengthened surveillance efforts in the region but did not establish that transmission had occurred within New South Wales. Authorities continue to assess each detection individually while considering whether the virus was introduced by separate migratory birds or has spread locally.

Australia now has fifteen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. All involve individual wild seabirds found in coastal locations, with all but one involving migratory or vagrant species. Poultry remains free of infection, and there is still no confirmed evidence of local transmission within Australia.

Another Presumed Positive Detection Reported

Western Australian authorities classified a petrel found at Lancelin Beach as a presumed-positive detection of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI).

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness was unable to obtain sufficient genetic material to fully characterise the virus. Based on the available laboratory evidence, authorities classified the bird as a presumed-positive detection and continued to manage it as H5 bird flu.

The national total increased to fourteen confirmed or presumed-positive detections. All but one involve migratory or vagrant seabirds, with the Greater Crested Tern from Robe remaining the only resident Australian wild bird affected.

Australia now has fourteen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. There are no detections in poultry, no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu, and no confirmed evidence that the virus is spreading between resident Australian wild birds.

South Australia Expands Community Surveillance

South Australia established a formal collaboration with birdwatchers and wildlife observers to strengthen surveillance for high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI).

By this stage, the state had recorded five confirmed detections: four in migratory Giant Petrels and one in the resident Greater Crested Tern found at Robe. Although the tern had raised concerns about possible transmission to resident Australian birds, there remains no confirmed evidence that local spread has occurred.

The initiative encouraged birdwatchers and coastal communities to report unusual illness, deaths and changes in wild bird populations, recognising that early detection would depend on observations from people regularly monitoring South Australia’s coastline.

Australia now has thirteen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. Surveillance continues to expand through partnerships with the community, while poultry remains free of infection and authorities continue to investigate whether the virus has spread beyond migratory seabirds.

First Resident Wild Bird Tests Positive

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed four further detections of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI), including a Greater Crested Tern found dead at Robe Marina in South Australia.

The tern had been reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 7 July, collected the same day, and tested in South Australia before confirmation by CSIRO on 10 July. This is the first confirmed detection of H5 bird flu in a resident Australian wild bird, marking a significant development in Australia’s outbreak.

The other confirmed birds were Giant Petrels from Port Vincent and Emu Bay in South Australia, together with the previously reported bird from Mullaloo Beach in Western Australia. These results bring the national total to twelve confirmed or presumed-positive detections.

Authorities also classified a Giant Petrel found at Horrocks Beach, near Northampton in Western Australia, as a presumed-positive H5 detection after insufficient genetic material could be obtained for full laboratory characterisation. The national total now stands at thirteen confirmed or presumed-positive detections.

Authorities are treating the Greater Crested Tern as an isolated case. Although the detection raises new questions about possible transmission to resident Australian birds, there is not yet sufficient evidence to conclude that local spread has occurred.

Australia now has thirteen confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. The outbreak has now been confirmed in a resident Australian wild bird, while poultry remains free of infection and authorities continue to investigate whether local transmission has occurred.

More South Australian Detections Identified

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in a Giant Petrel found near Hardwicke Bay on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula.

The result marks Australia’s eighth confirmed or presumed-positive detection. On the same day, South Australian authorities announced preliminary positive H5 results in two additional Giant Petrels found at Port Vincent on the Yorke Peninsula and Emu Bay on Kangaroo Island.

Samples from both birds were forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing.

The detections show that H5 bird flu investigations in South Australia are no longer confined to the Fleurieu Peninsula. Confirmed and preliminary positive detections have now been identified across several widely separated coastal locations, although all continue to involve migratory or vagrant seabirds.

Australia now has eight confirmed or presumed-positive H5 bird flu detections. Two additional South Australian seabirds remain under laboratory investigation, while there are no detections in poultry or evidence that the virus has spread to resident wild bird populations.

First Presumed Positive Detection Reported

Western Australian authorities classified the Giant Petrel found at Mullaloo Beach as a presumed-positive detection of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI).

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed that the bird was infected with an influenza A virus of the H5 subtype but was unable to obtain sufficient genetic material to fully characterise the virus. Based on the initial state laboratory result and the available laboratory evidence, authorities classified the bird as a presumed-positive detection and continued to manage it as H5 bird flu.

The decision marks an important development in Australia’s outbreak reporting. From this point onwards, official updates distinguish between birds confirmed through complete laboratory characterisation and those classified as presumed positive where the available evidence supports an H5 bird flu response.

Australia now has seven H5 bird flu detections, comprising six laboratory-confirmed detections and one presumed-positive detection. There are no detections in poultry and no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu.

New South Wales Confirms First H5 Detection

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Giant Petrel found near Hawks Nest in New South Wales.

The result marks Australia’s sixth confirmed mainland detection and the first in New South Wales. Confirmed detections have now been recorded on both the western and eastern coasts of mainland Australia, reflecting the widespread arrival of infected migratory seabirds rather than evidence of local transmission.

Confirmatory testing continues on the preliminary positive Giant Petrel found at Mullaloo Beach in Western Australia. Despite the widening geographic distribution, all confirmed detections continue to involve migratory or vagrant seabirds.

Australia now has six confirmed mainland detections across three states. There is no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu, there are no detections in poultry, and there is no evidence that the virus has spread to resident wild bird populations.

Suspected H5 Reaches New South Wales

The Consultative Committee on Emergency Animal Diseases (CCEAD) met as Australia’s response to high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) continued to expand. Preliminary testing identified suspected H5 detections in Giant Petrels found near Hawks Nest in New South Wales and at Mullaloo Beach in metropolitan Perth.

The suspected New South Wales detection represents the first indication that the H5 virus may have reached Australia’s east coast. Together, the two investigations demonstrate that surveillance and response activities can no longer remain focused on southern Western Australia and South Australia alone.

In response, CCEAD endorsed temporary heightened biosecurity measures for poultry flocks. States and territories were given the option of advising commercial free range poultry producers to house birds where practical, while continuing to meet animal welfare requirements.

The advice is precautionary and non-mandatory. No infections have been detected in poultry, and all confirmed detections continue to involve migratory seabirds.

Fifth Mainland H5 Detection Confirmed

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Giant Petrel found at Roses Beach, west of Esperance.

The confirmation brings Australia’s total to five confirmed mainland detections, comprising four in Western Australia and one in South Australia. All five involve migratory seabirds found along Australia’s southern coastline.

As surveillance expands, Western Australia has received more than 670 reports through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline. Samples collected from numerous coastal locations continue to return negative results, while the state broadens its response by monitoring seabird colonies and establishing incident response commands across the South West and South Coast regions.

Fourth Mainland H5 Detection Confirmed

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Giant Petrel found at Quindalup on Western Australia’s South West coast.

The result marks Australia’s fourth confirmed mainland H5 detection: three in Western Australia and one in South Australia. It also extends the known geographic distribution of the virus along Western Australia’s coastline, with Quindalup located hundreds of kilometres west of the earlier detections near Esperance.

The Giant Petrel found at Roses Beach remains a preliminary positive detection awaiting confirmatory testing.

All four confirmed detections involve migratory or vagrant seabirds that occasionally visit Australian waters. Authorities continue to report no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu, no detections in poultry, and no evidence that the virus is spreading among resident wild bird populations.

More Suspected Cases Investigated

Western Australian authorities investigated five dead petrels reported at Roses Beach, approximately 30 kilometres west of Esperance. One bird returned a preliminary positive result for H5 avian influenza during testing by the state laboratory, while the other four tested negative.

The sample from the preliminary positive bird was forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing. The Giant Petrel from Quindalup also remained under laboratory investigation.

The investigation demonstrated that the discovery of multiple dead seabirds at a single location did not necessarily indicate an H5 bird flu mortality event. As surveillance intensified, authorities continued to assess each report on its own merits rather than assuming a common cause.

Western Australia continued to receive reports through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline, although only a small proportion met the criteria for further investigation and laboratory testing.

Western Australia Expands H5 Surveillance

Western Australia expanded surveillance along its coastline following the preliminary H5 detection in the Giant Petrel found at Quindalup.

The state received 69 reports through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 24 June, with six prioritised for investigation and laboratory testing. Authorities emphasised that reports made through the hotline did not necessarily represent suspected or confirmed H5 bird flu cases and required assessment before testing was undertaken.

The response also expanded to include briefings and webinars for poultry producers, veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators and local government representatives, reflecting the growing need for coordinated surveillance and preparedness.

South Australia Confirms First H5 Detection

South Australian authorities announced the state’s first confirmed detection of high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in a Southern Giant Petrel found at Knights Beach, near Port Elliot on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

The bird had been found debilitated on 14 June and taken into wildlife care. Authorities became aware of the case through social media on 19 June, arranged for the bird to be sampled that day, and later received laboratory confirmation from CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness.

Although this is Australia’s third confirmed mainland detection, the bird had been encountered several days before the first Western Australian case was publicly announced. The case highlights how the date an infected bird is found, the date authorities become aware of it, and the date laboratory confirmation is announced do not necessarily coincide during a rapidly evolving outbreak.

On the same day, preliminary testing in Western Australia identified another Giant Petrel from Quindalup, on the state’s South West coast, as a presumed-positive H5 detection. The sample was forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing.

Tasmania Strengthens H5 Preparedness

Tasmanian Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the state was closely monitoring Australia’s emerging H5 bird flu situation following the confirmed mainland detections in Western Australia.

Rockliff confirmed there had been no detections of H5 bird flu in Tasmania but said the mainland detections had triggered a national response. He said Tasmania was receiving regular briefings from national bodies and state agencies, adding that the Government stood ready to enact a whole-of-government response if required.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water Gavin Pearce said Tasmania had been preparing for the arrival of H5 bird flu for some time, with state agencies working alongside industry and national partners to strengthen surveillance and preparedness.

Tasmania remains free of H5 bird flu. The announcement highlights the state’s proactive approach to biosecurity while reinforcing that preparations are continuing in anticipation of the virus’s possible arrival.

Second Mainland H5 Detection Confirmed

CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed high pathogenicity H5 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Giant Petrel from the Cape Le Grand region of Western Australia.

Australia now has two confirmed mainland detections, both involving migratory seabirds found in the same remote area east of Esperance. The second confirmation strengthened the evidence that the virus had arrived in Australia with infected migratory birds, while investigations continued to determine whether there had been any local transmission to other wildlife.

Authorities continued to report no detections in poultry, no evidence of widespread wildlife mortality associated with H5 bird flu, and a low risk to the general public. At this stage, there was no evidence that the virus had spread between wild birds within Australia.

Australia Confirms First Mainland H5 Detection

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced that CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness had confirmed high pathogenicity H5N1 avian influenza (HPAI) in the Brown Skua found near Esperance in Western Australia.

The confirmation marks Australia’s first mainland detection of the globally circulating H5N1 HPAI virus. The virus had previously only been detected in wildlife within Australia’s sub-Antarctic territories.

Collins described the result as “disappointing, but not unexpected given the global spread of the H5 bird flu virus”, reflecting years of planning by governments and biosecurity agencies for the virus’s eventual arrival on the Australian mainland.

A Giant Petrel found in the same remote Cape Le Grand area had also returned an initial H5-positive result during preliminary testing in Western Australia. Its samples remained at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing.

The confirmation marks Australia’s transition from preparedness to active response. State and federal agencies expanded surveillance to determine whether the virus was confined to a small number of migratory seabirds or had spread into Australian wildlife.

Suspected H5N1 Detected in Western Australia

Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced that the Western Australian Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development was investigating a suspected detection of avian influenza in a single migratory Brown Skua found sick in an isolated area near Esperance.

Preliminary testing at the Western Australian laboratory had returned a suspected positive result for avian influenza. Samples were immediately forwarded to CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness for confirmatory testing, with results expected the following day. A second sick bird, a Giant Petrel found in the same area, was also undergoing testing.

Collins emphasised that the result remained preliminary, stating, “We cannot confirm yet whether it is the strain of concern that is circulating at this stage, known as the H5 bird flu.” She also confirmed there was no evidence of infection in poultry and that the Western Australian Government would lead the on-ground response while the Australian Government coordinated the national response if the result was confirmed.

The announcement represented Australia’s first publicly reported suspected mainland detection of the globally circulating H5N1 strain of high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI), although confirmatory testing was still underway. Results from CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness were expected within 24 hours.