June 22, 2026
 

Australia detects first H5 bird flu case, completing global spread of strain

No mass mortalities or poultry infections have been confirmed yet, but the detection marks Australia's emergence as the last continent to record the highly pathogenic strain.

Australia detects first H5 bird flu case, completing global spread of strain

No mass mortalities or poultry infections have been confirmed yet, but the detection marks Australia's emergence as the last continent to record the highly pathogenic strain.

Australia has detected its first case of the H5 strain of avian influenza, Agriculture Minister Julie Collins confirmed on Saturday, meaning the highly contagious variant has now spread to every continent.

The virus was found in a brown skua, a migratory seabird, in remote Western Australia, with the result confirmed by the national science agency. Samples from a second bird, a giant petrel, showed a suspected positive result. Australia had previously been the only continent where the H5 strain had not been detected.

Collins said there is currently no evidence of mass mortalities or infection in poultry. An emergency meeting of animal health and agriculture officials has been held to consider a national response. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the detection was concerning and that the government would take measures to contain the spread.

The H5 strain has caused severe disease and high mortality in poultry, wild birds and some mammal species globally, with detections previously recorded in cats, goats, alpacas and pigs. Wild bird species most affected include waterfowl, shorebirds, seabirds and birds of prey. Australian scientists reported earlier in the week that the strain had killed more than 13,000 elephant seal pups after infecting a breeding colony on a sub-Antarctic Australian external territory.

- AFP