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🇦🇺 Australia /Health & Science

Deadly H5 Bird Flu Reaches Australia, Global Numbers Signal Warning

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Australia has confirmed its first cases of H5 bird flu, marking the virus's presence on every continent.
  • The highly pathogenic strain has caused significant culling of poultry globally, with over 400 billion chickens destroyed since 2001.
  • Over 100 mammal species, including cows and seals, have been infected, and there have been 997 human cases worldwide since 2003, resulting in 478 deaths.

The detection of Australia's first H5 bird flu cases signifies the deadly virus's spread to every continent, raising concerns about its global impact. This highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza, first identified over two decades ago, has already devastated wildlife and poultry farms worldwide.

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins has called for calm, stating the virus's arrival in Australia was inevitable. However, the scale of the threat is underscored by global numbers: since 2001, efforts to control the H5 strain have led to the destruction of more than 400 billion chickens. Between 2005 and 2024 alone, over 633 million poultry birds were culled due to outbreaks, with 5.61 million lost in March 2026.

Mortality rates for poultry often reach 50 percent, causing devastating losses for the farming sector and significant job losses in developing countries. Keith Hamilton, the WOAH head of preparedness and resilience, highlighted these economic impacts.

Avian influenza can kill entire flocks of birds, so this causes devastating losses for the farming sector.

— Keith HamiltonExplaining the economic impact of bird flu outbreaks on the agricultural industry.

The virus's reach extends beyond birds, with over 100 mammalian species infected, including polar bears, foxes, dogs, cats, and cows. In the US, 1,145 cow cases have been confirmed since 2024, primarily linked to unpasteurised milk. The strain is also believed to have caused the deaths of more than two-thirds of southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island and McDonald Islands.

Globally, there have been 997 recorded human infections with avian influenza from January 2003 to March 2026, across 25 countries. Of these, 478 have been fatal, resulting in a case fatality rate of approximately 47.9 percent. While most human cases stem from contact with infected poultry or contaminated environments, there is currently no evidence of human-to-human spread of the H5 strain. Australians are advised to avoid contact with sick or dead birds and animals.

the virus's spread to Australia was inevitable.

— Julie CollinsFederal Agriculture Minister's statement on the arrival of bird flu in Australia.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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