H5 bird flu is a serious, highly contagious strain of bird flu that has been circulating globally. It mainly affects birds but can also infect other animals. Overseas, the H5 strain has caused severe disease and high death rates in poultry, wild birds and some mammals.
Infected animals might look very sick or show no signs at all. Birds can sometimes die suddenly without warning. For wild birds, signs may include difficulty standing, walking or flying, breathing problems, unusual head or neck posture, or sudden death. If you're unsure, avoid contact and report sick or dead birds or other animals.
To date, H5 bird flu has been detected in a number of individual wild seabirds in coastal locations in Western Australia, South Australia and New South Wales. There have been no detections in poultry or the wider agriculture industry and no evidence of large-scale deaths in any animals on mainland Australia. The detections in wild birds do not change Australia’s status as free from high pathogenicity avian influenza in poultry in accordance with World Organisation for Animal Health international standards.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control (CDC) regularly reassesses the risk of H5 bird flu to people in Australia. The current risk is low. Bird flu rarely spreads to people as transmission usually requires close contact with infected birds, other infected animals or contaminated environments. Spread between people is also very rare. Find out more: https://www.cdc.gov.au/diseases/bird-flu-avian-influenza
Yes. Food Standards Australia New Zealand has advised bird flu is not a food safety risk for chicken meat and eggs if they are handled and cooked correctly. Practice good hand hygiene by washing your hands and utensils after handling animals, eggs or raw meat, and thoroughly cook meat and eggs before eating.
Avoid. Record. Report. Do not touch sick or dead birds or other wildlife. Record the location if it is safe to do so and report it by calling the Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Hotline on 1800 675 888.
When you call the EAD hotline, you're automatically connected to your state biosecurity agency. The details you share are carefully reviewed. Each call is carefully assessed to determine whether an investigation is needed and feasible depending on the specific circumstances. It may lead to a site visit and sampling. Not all reports will require testing or collection of birds. Even if testing is not needed, reporting is important so that your state or territory authority can assess the situation and decide if further investigation is required.
No. There have been no detections of H5 bird flu in poultry or the wider agriculture industry in Australia. Bird owners can help protect their birds by preventing contact with wild birds and implementing good biosecurity practices.
No. There has been no evidence of spread between local wildlife or large-scale deaths in any animals.
Infected birds can spread the virus through body fluids, droppings and feathers. The virus can also spread through the air, or on contaminated clothing, shoes, animals, vehicles, equipment and water.
H5 bird flu mainly affects birds. Cats and dogs can sometimes get sick if they eat or interact with infected animals. To reduce the risk, keep pets away from sick or dead birds and other wildlife. Keep dogs on a leash, especially near wildlife, and cats contained. This also helps protect our wildlife from our pet cats and dogs. If you have pet birds or backyard chickens, there are simple steps you can take to help protect your birds.
The Western Australian, South Australian and New South Wales governments are leading response activities on the ground, including enhanced surveillance. National coordination is being led by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Australia is well prepared to respond to H5 bird flu, with well-established national response arrangements in place.
Australia is home to many native animals found nowhere else in the world. Because of this, the impacts of H5 bird flu here are difficult to predict.
Experience from overseas shows that H5 bird flu can have serious impacts on wild birds and some mammals. If the virus became established in Australian wildlife, some native species could experience significant illness and death. It will not be possible to prevent losses of wildlife in nature.
Species that may be at higher risk include:
- waterbirds that gather in large numbers, such as ducks, swans and geese
- shorebirds, including waders
- seabirds, such as gulls, terns and penguins
- birds of prey and scavengers, including eagles and skuas, which can become infected by feeding on sick or dead animals
- predatory and scavenging native mammals, such as Tasmanian devils and quolls, and marine mammals like Australian sea lions.
Find out more at dcceew.gov.au/birdflu.
If H5 bird flu establishes in Australia, our native species may face long term population setbacks. Some species might even be pushed towards extinction.
Efforts to prepare native species include:
- improving biosecurity of captive threatened species
- preparing plans for priority species and sites
- tackling other threats, so native species can better withstand and recover from the potential impacts of H5 bird flu.
Find out some simple way you can help here: How you can help - DCCEEW
Yes. Australia has previously experienced outbreaks of H7 bird flu, which affected poultry and egg production but did not impact wildlife. This is a different strain to the H5 bird flu strain. We have contained and eradicated H7 bird flu several times over the past 50 years.
The current detections involve the more serious H5 strain that has been circulating globally.
Further information
Visit birdflu.gov.au for the latest information, confirmed detections and advice on H5 bird flu.