Everything you need to know about Australia's bird flu surge

Everything you need to know about Australia's bird flu surge Sun 9 Aug 2026 at 5:07am There are more than a hundred confirmed cases of the deadly H5N1 bird flu across Australia. The virus has spread to five states with the bulk of cases in South Australia. Testing has confirmed the first mass mortality from bird flu in Australian wildlife on an island off SA's south-east coast. Here's what we know about this strain of bird flu. What is bird flu? Read moreAvian influenza is a virus that primarily impacts birds, however it can also spread to other animals, and in rare circumstances humans. There are two strains of the virus, low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI), or high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI). Most LPAI strains cause minimal disease in wild birds and poultry, while HPAI strains have higher mortality rates. Those most affected by bird flu are poultry and wild birds who can suffer severe disease and high rates of death. It can also affect mammals such as seals, cows and cats. Can I get bird flu? Read moreYes but it is very rare. According to the Australian Centre for Disease Control, bird flu spreads when animals who are infected shed the virus through faeces and other body fluids. People can become infected if they are in contact with an infected animal, their body fluids or a contaminated object and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. A person can also become infected if they breathe contaminated dust or air. According to the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) the most common human cases of bird flu were the H5 strain of the virus with more than a thousand cases globally since 1997. During a recent outbreak in the USA, 71 human cases and two deaths were recorded between February 2024 and now. The CDC also found since August 2025 globally, there have been 12 human cases of H5N1 bird flu in Bangladesh, Cambodia and India. There were three deaths recorded: one in Cambodia, and two in Bangladesh. But human cases are rare and most people who get infected experience a mild illness, according to NC State University virologist and immunologist Dr Matthew Koci. "In the US, the vast majority of the cases are not any kind of respiratory symptoms, it is actually a conjunctivitis, or 'pink eye',"he said. "A few cases of mild respiratory signs have been reported, and around the world we have seen that bird flu can cause much more serious illness in some people, including severe pneumonia and, in rare cases, death." Can my pets get bird flu? Read moreIt can happen but it is uncommon, according to the RSPCA. Pets such as dogs and cats can be infected by bird flu. But University of Sydney's Michelle Campbell-Ward, who specialises in wildlife and Avian medicine, said domestic cats were more susceptible. "The main thing is just to limit contact with any wild birds,"Associate Professor Campbell-Ward said. "So where possible keeping cats indoors. When dogs are out and about with their owners, to have them on a lead." The RSPCA recommends pet owners, especially those with cats, to avoid raw or unpasteurised animal-based diets. The charity said overseas bird flu cases in cats have been connected to contact with infected wild birds or eating contaminated raw animal products. Professor French said that was another reason pet owners should be vigilant about their pets scavenging the carcasses of dead birds. "If it's known bird flu has now reached an area where [peoples'] animals are outside scavenging, then keep them indoors," he said. "Owners [also] need to be aware if their pet starts showing respiratory signs or even other signs as well and they're a scavenger, then that's a possibility." Are eggs safe? Read moreYes. Bird flu has not been detected in the Australian livestock industry, according to the federal government. But the 2024 H7 bird flu outbreak led to the loss of more than 10 per cent of Australia's laying hens, which is about 2.4 million birds. They were slaughtered to contain the outbreak but those containment efforts caused egg shortages, and price rises. Since the emergence of H5N1, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) paused enforcement for free-range label breaches such as access to outdoor space. The watchdog is allowing farmers to keep chickens indoors and still use free-range cartons. But the ACCC's deputy chair Mick Keogh said producers need to inform consumers. "If they've got their birds housed, there's an obligation to communicate that, particularly to retailers, but also more widely, to the consumers,"he said. Didn't we just have bird flu? Read moreWe had an outbreak of a different bird flu about two years ago. The last bird flu outbreak in Australia was in 2024 but that was the H7 strain. But now we're dealing with the deadliest strain of bird flu, the H5, according to the Doherty Insitute. In June it was found in Australia for the first time after several birds were confirmed to have a strain known as H5N1 2.3.4.4b. Massey University infectious disease epidemiologist Nigel French said the H5N1 strain was different because it was highly transmissible and caused severe infection. "So previous strains have been more like the occasional spillover between wildlife infection, which wasn't causing a great deal of disease and then just causing severe disease in some animals," Professor French said. "But this is a highly pathogenic strain that is also highly transmissible within and between wild animals and also within and between domestic animals." What are bird flu symptoms? Read moreThe symptoms for bird flu can vary depending on the animal but sudden death, lethargy, tiredness, and issues with mobility and breathing are common. Wild birds: - droopy or puffed-up appearance - unusual head or neck posture Poultry: - sudden drop in egg production - swollen head or limbs - bruising on comb, feet, or skin - runny nose Mammals: - seizures, tremors or walking in circles - drooling or runny nose Are other animals at risk? The federal government released a risk analysis with more than two thousand native birds and mammals ranked on their likelihood of surviving the spread of the H5N1 strain of bird flu. It found 386 native Australian bird and mammal species have been assessed as high to extreme risk. In early August, the environment minister Murray Watt said he expected there to be more mass mortality events in the country due to bird flu. He added he was concerned about the danger it posed to mammals such as seals, sea lions and dolphins, which were all in high risk categories for the virus. "That will be distressing for people when we start to see that here in Australia,"he said. "One of the sub-Antarctic islands that Australia owns, Heard Island, we have seen a mass mortality of baby seals there. "We'll do everything we can to try to keep those species at a population level that they're still going to be around forever, but it's going to have very serious impacts." At least 30,000 sea lions were infected with H5N1, following its spread across Argentina, Chile, Peru, Uruguay and Brazil in late 2022. There is also evidence that H5N1 caused more than 17,000 southern elephant seals to die in Argentina. The spread of the virus overseas raise serious concerns for University of New South Wales seabird ecologist Simon Gorta. "That sort of impact hasn't been seen with bird flu before in these species, and they're highly vulnerable as it is," he said. "There's a number of other threats that these species face, so to have a serious disease on top of all of that is a major conservation concern." What are we doing to prevent the spread? There have been 155 confirmed cases of H5N1 across five states. The federal government's framework on national poultry biosecurity measures began on July 31. State and territory governments are responsible for surveillance and issuing advice on biosecurity. While the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) is coordinating the national response. University of Sydney's Associate Professor Campbell-Ward said the public plays a critical role of being the eyes on the ground for authorities. "This is certainly a disease of global importance and every citizen can play their role. Australia and New Zealand are the last region in the world to be impacted by this disease," she said. "It's really important that if anybody does see sick or dead birds, that they report it to the emergency animal disease hotline. "Avoid contact with that animal. It's really helpful to record what they see, and then call the hotline and advice will be provided." Loading...