High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza

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17 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI)

The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer has reported that testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has confirmed two presumed positive results for petrels, one found at Parry Beach in Denmark on Western Australia’s south coast and one found at Seabird, north of Perth.

There have now been 17 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia. 

There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system. The risk to human health remains low. 

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. 

16 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) 

The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer has reported that testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has confirmed a further positive detection of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a petrel, found at Hawks Nest, New South Wales. 

There have now been 15 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia. 

There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system. The risk to human health remains low. 

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. 

15 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI)

The Australian Chief Veterinary Officer has reported that testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has determined one additional presumed positive detection of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a petrel, found at Lancelin Beach in Western Australia.

There have now been 14 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in Australia.

There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system. The risk to human health remains low.

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

10 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI)

Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness has confirmed five additional detections of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) – three further confirmed detections in South Australia and two more in Western Australia, there are now 13 confirmed or presumed positive cases of H5 HPAI bird flu in Australia.

There remains no evidence of any mass mortality events, and there are no detections in poultry or in our agricultural production system. The risk to human health remains low.

The latest detections include the first detection of H5 bird flu in an Australian wild non-migratory seabird. The bird – a Greater Crested Tern – was found near Robe (SA) and was reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on Tuesday 7 July.

Testing is being undertaken to determine further information on the source of the infection in the Tern.

In speaking to the media today, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said, “What we do know is that this is a coastal seabird that has an overlapping coastal range with migratory seabirds that have previously tested positive for H5. While this is a concerning development, it is not unexpected and is another sign that our strong biosecurity system is working.”

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

08 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI)

As of 2.30pm AEST, 8 July 2026, Australian Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson announced the confirmation of a suspect case in South Australia. This means there are now 8 confirmed (or presumed) detections of H5 bird flu in migratory seabirds. Five in Western Australia (WA), two in South Australia (SA) and one in New South Wales (NSW)

Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness confirmed H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (bird flu) in a sample taken from a giant petrel found near Hardwicke Bay, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia. The South Australian Government today also reported two further suspected positive cases of H5 bird flu in two giant petrels

There is no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low. Australia is well prepared to respond quickly.

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Resources
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07 July 2026 – Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) guidance on accepting birds and wildlife in clinic — H5 bird flu

Australia confirmed its first detections of H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (H5 bird flu) on the Australian mainland in June 2026.

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

We recommend AVA members:

  • Advise clients and the public not to touch sick or dead birds or animals, and to report them to birdflu.gov.au
  • Report any suspected case immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888
  • Remain alert, as the clinical signs in birds are highly variable ranging from asymptomatic to sudden death. Exercise caution when alerted to any sick bird
  • Familiarise yourself with the resources available on the AVA website: AVA HPAI Resources
  • Prepare by updating or developing a biosecurity plan for your practice that includes appropriate personal protective equipment in practice, noting the virus can spread via body fluids, droppings, feathers, and contaminated clothing, equipment and vehicles.

Importantly, the AVA is not advising veterinary practices to stop accepting sick or injured birds or wildlife. Caring for sick and injured wildlife is something vets have always done and continue to do, as a service for the public good, and H5 bird flu does not change that.

However, precautions must be taken when being asked to assess sick or dead birds. We recommend clients phone ahead so practices can safely triage the case, prepare appropriate biosecurity measures, and determine whether they can manage the patient or arrange referral if required. This advance notice gives staff time to prepare, establish an isolation area, ready PPE, and brief the team before the patient arrives, which is far safer than managing a suspected case that presents unannounced at the front desk.

In the instance that any sick or dead bird or wildlife is presented in clinic it should be regarded as a potential H5 bird flu case.

All veterinarians are reminded to visit birdflu.gov.au for the latest advice or access dedicated HPAI resources available on the AVA website at www.ava.com.au .

As of 9am AEST, 7 July 2026, Australia has 7 confirmed (or presumed) detections of H5 bird flu in wild birds. There are 5 confirmed in Western Australia (WA), one in South Australia (SA) and one in New South Wales (NSW). There is no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low. Australia is well prepared to respond quickly.

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

06 July 2026 – H5 bird flu testing update 

As of 3.30pm AEST, 6 July 2026, Australia has 7 confirmed or presumed positive detections of H5 bird flu in migratory seabirds.

The latest case of the giant petrel found in the Perth North Metropolitan Area (Whitfords – Mullaloo beach) of Western Australia has been determined to be presumed positive. CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has confirmed the giant petrel was infected with an influenza virus of the H5 subtype. However, in this case ACDP has been unable to sequence the virus. 

The inability to obtain a sequence is not unexpected. A range of factors, including the amount of virus in the sample and the sample quality, can affect sequencing, particularly in wildlife samples from deceased animals. 

There remains no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low.

If you notice sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

 

04 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI)

As of 9.00pm AEST, Australia has 6 cases of H5 bird flu in wild birds confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), including 4 confirmed in Western Australia (WA) and 1 in South Australia (SA) and now 1 in New South Wales (NSW).

Additionally, confirmatory testing is underway on samples taken from the suspect positive giant petrel found at Mullaloo Beach in Western Australia. All cases are in migratory birds.

Importantly, there is no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low.

If you notice multiple sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

 We recommend AVA members:

  • Advise clients and the public not to touch sick or dead birds or animals, and to report them to birdflu.gov.au.
  • Report any suspected case immediately to the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888.
  • Remain alert, as the clinical signs in birds are highly variable ranging from asymptomatic to sudden death. Exercise caution when alerted to any sick bird. Familiarise yourself with the resources available on the AVA website: AVA HPAI Resources
  • Prepare by updating or developing a biosecurity plan for your practice that includes appropriate personal protective equipment in practice, noting the virus can spread via body fluids, droppings, feathers, and contaminated clothing, equipment and vehicles.

03 July 2026 – Member update: National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) Guidelines for Veterinarians

Australia’s Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Beth Cookson, has released National H5 High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) Guidelines for Veterinarians. Developed by the Animal Health Committee, these Guidelines aim to support private veterinarians to prepare for the risk of H5 HPAI in the current situation.

The guidelines have now been added to the list of resources below.

As of 9am AEST, 03 July 2026, Australia has 5 cases of H5 bird flu in wild birds confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), including 4 confirmed in Western Australia (WA) and 1 in South Australia (SA).
There is no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low.

If you notice multiple sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

02 July 2026 – Member update: H5 bird flu detections

As of 1pm AEST, Australia has 5 cases of H5 bird flu in wild birds confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP), including 4 confirmed in Western Australia (WA) and 1 in South Australia (SA).

There is no evidence of any mass mortality. There is no evidence of infection in poultry or the wider agriculture industry. The risk to human health remains low. Australia is well prepared to respond quickly.

If you notice multiple sick or dead birds or other animals, you should not touch them or get too close. Record your location and report it to the 24-hour Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

More information and AVA resources are available below.

30 June 2026 – Member Update: H5 bird flu detections in Western Australia and South Australia 

 

Since the first mainland detection was confirmed on 20 June 2026, H5 high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) has now been confirmed in a small number of wild migratory seabirds across two states. As at the latest situation update, the confirmed and suspected cases are: 

  • Western Australia – four confirmed.The initial detection was in a brown skua found at Cape Le Grand National Park, near Esperance, confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness on 19–20 June. A giant petrel from the same area was subsequently confirmed positive (23 June), and a further giant petrel at Quindalup, on WA’s south-west coast, was confirmed over the weekend (27 June). A fourth WA bird, also a giant petrel has now been confirmed as the fourth detection in the state (30 June).
  • South Australia – one confirmed. A southern giant petrel found in a debilitated condition on 14 June at Knights Beach, on the Fleurieu Peninsula, was confirmed positive on 24 June.
  • Negative results. Testing of two seabirds found near Fowlers Bay on the Eyre Peninsula (SA) returned negative results. 

All detections to date are in vagrant migratory seabirds. There is no evidence of mass mortality in wildlife or spread to other animals, and there have been no detections in poultry. There are currently no trade restrictions for the export of poultry and poultry products out of Australia. H5 bird flu remains a low health risk to the public, rarely affects humans, and is not a food safety risk for chicken meat and eggs when handled and cooked correctly. 

 This confirms that mainland Australia is no longer free of the globally circulating H5 strain. National response and wild bird surveillance activities are underway, and the situation may change as further information becomes available. Veterinarians remain on the front line for early detection, triage and reporting, and the AVA continues to engage with the relevant departments and to maintain its preparedness resources for members (see below). 

What veterinarians and the public should do 

Avian influenza is a national notifiable emergency animal disease. Both vets and the public should Avoid. Record. Report. If you find a sick or dead bird or animal, don’t touch it, keep pets and children away, and from a safe distance take a photo and note the location. Report any unusual deaths to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888, or via birdflu.gov.au.  

 The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry have also published a catalogue of informative videos and other resources that provide easy to understand guidance on HPAI which can be accessed here. 

 For the latest national situation reports, see the DAFF H5 bird flu page and Wildlife Health Australia. 

20 June 2026 – Member Update: Confirmation of H5 Avian Influenza in Western Australia

The Hon Julie Collins MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry confirmed the detection of H5 avian influenza in a brown skua found on WA’s south coast on 14 June. The bird was unwell, was isolated, and subsequently died. A second bird, a giant petrel, has also returned a positive result and will be subject to further testing to confirm the strain detected. 

This is the first detection of the H5 strain on the Australian mainland.

Link to member update – https://www.ava.com.au/national/confirmation-of-h5-avian-influenza-in-western-australia

AVA HPAI Resources

The AVA have developed several resources in November 2025 and updated in June 2026 to assist veterinary preparation and response to HPAI. These include:

Animal Health Committee (AHC) Resources

Background HPAI

Avian influenza is a global viral disease of birds and there are many strains of the virus that cause infections of differing severity, and all bird species are considered vulnerable to avian influenza. High pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses are associated with severe disease and high mortality in poultry. HPAI H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b is the predominant strain causing recent outbreaks globally.

Australia has successfully contained and eradicated H7 HPAI in poultry several times in the last 50 years, including the outbreaks in 2024 in Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory.

Avian influenza viruses (both low pathogenicity and high pathogenicity strains) have also been known to infect other animal species overseas. Spill over infections of the H5N1 strain of HPAI virus in non-avian animal species such as humans, pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, marine animals, domestic dogs and cats, foxes, ferrets, and tigers and leopards have been reported in some countries.

The 2024 outbreaks of HPAI H7 in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, and Victoria have now been successfully resolved (further information below). However, ongoing outbreaks of H5N1 globally have increased Australia’s level of risk for incursions of HPAI viruses of global concern. Migratory birds returning to Australian shores annually between September and November may introduce HPAI viruses.

Avian influenza is a national notifiable emergency animal disease (EAD) and both vets and members of the public should Avoid. Record. Report. If you find a sick or dead bird or animal, don’t touch it, keep your pets and children away, and from a safe distance take a photo and note the location. Importantly, any unusual deaths must be reported to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888. This number will connect you with your state or territory’s department of primary industries or agriculture.


Zoonotic disease

Avian influenza is a zoonotic disease and is potentially fatal to humans in very rare cases. The disease can be passed from birds to humans who are in close contact with poultry or other birds. In Australia, there is minimal risk of people being affected by avian influenza viruses through normal contact with healthy birds, however it is important to always practice good personal hygiene when handling birds.

For more information about avian influenza in humans, visit the Department of Health and Aged Care website:
https://www.health.gov.au/diseases/avian-influenza-in-humans-bird-flu

Good biosecurity practices are the key to preventing the spread of avian influenza in poultry species and are critical in combating any incursion.
The following information about bird biosecurity is a valuable resource to make clients aware of:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/pests-diseases-weeds/protect-animal-plant/bird-owners


Key information about the clinical signs

The clinical signs of avian influenza in birds are variable and depend on a range of factors including the virulence of the virus, the species and age of the birds infected, the presence of concurrent diseases, and the environment. In severe forms, such as H5N1 infection, the disease appears suddenly and birds die quickly.

HPAI should be considered as a differential diagnosis in the following scenarios for wild birds:

  • Small groups or clusters (5 or more) of sick or dead wild birds of any species.
  • Individual or <5 sick or dead wild birds:
    • seabirds, waterbirds, shorebirds or birds of prey
    • any other bird species with signs of avian influenza infection as outlined below.

Infected live birds may show a wide range of clinical signs, including:

  • Wildlife: Presence of dead birds, neurological signs (e.g. ataxia, tremors, seizures), swelling/cyanosis of head or legs, respiratory distress (e.g., nasal discharge, dyspnoea) and gastrointestinal signs (e.g., vomiting, diarrhoea), petechial haemorrhages.
  • Pet birds and backyard poultry: Sudden death, lethargy, inappetence, reduced egg production, swelling/cyanosis of head or legs, respiratory distress (e.g., nasal discharge, dyspnoea), neurological signs (e.g. ataxia, tremors, seizures), gastrointestinal issues (e.g., vomiting, diarrhoea) and petechial haemorrhaging.

Some species may be asymptomatic or show only very mild clinical signs. In some cases, birds may die suddenly without displaying any clinical signs.


Resources

National

        – Managing Cats and Captive Wild Animals Exposed to Bird Flu (H5N1)

        – Bird Flu Information

        – Bird Flu toolkit for people who work with birds

Jurisdictional Avian Influenza Information:


Additional Resources, Guidelines and Information:

  • Veterinary Biosecurity:

–  AVA Model infection control plan for veterinary practices

– Personal Protective Equipment Demonstration Videos (Tasmanian Government)
– Video Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for Equine Veterinarians AUSVETPLAN: Response Strategy Avian Influenza
– AUSVETPLAN: Operational Manual – Destruction of Animal

 

 

Further reference:
High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza in pet birds, backyard poultry and wild birds (November 2025)