23/06/2026
Bird flu
Many of you will already be aware that a strain of avian influenza has recently been detected in Western Australia for the first time. The veterinary and agricultural world in Australia have been anticipating its eventual arrival, so this was not unexpected. This particular strain of the H5N1 virus (clade 2.3.4.4b) had already reached all other continents since it was first detected in 2021.
There is certainly no need for panic, but being informed with factual information is important.
There are a couple of reasons this strain is of concern:
🚩 It is highly pathogenic in poultry; most of the poultry that catch it will die from the virus. It therefore poses a huge risk to our poultry industry.
🚩 This strain infects a range of mammals which are usually unaffected by other influenza strains, most notably dairy cattle, cats and marine mammals.
🚩 The human infection rate is low, but deaths have occurred overseas. The mortality rate is higher than that seen from typical human influenza strains, therefore awareness of the disease is important.
This virus is expected to eventually spread further across Australia. Therefore if you experience a sudden outbreak of unexpected deaths or severe illness in your flock or local wild bird population, do not handle them and contact the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 675 888
We'd encourage you to read the following links which give a good summary of the disease, and some information on ways to try to protect your own poultry.
https://www.unsw.edu.au/newsroom/news/2026/06/bird-flu-risk-humans-sick
https://agriculture.vic.gov.au/biosecurity/animal-diseases/poultry-diseases/avian-influenza-bird-flu/avian-influenza-information-for-backyard-poultry-owners
