Australia vows H5N1 controls after first mainland case in seabird
A migratory brown skua in Western Australia tested positive, and officials say poultry and agriculture have not detected the virus.
By Lucas Ferreira · Science & Environment Writer
2 min read
Australia has confirmed H5N1 bird flu on its mainland for the first time, after tests found the virus in a migratory seabird in Western Australia, authorities said Saturday. The finding matters because Australia had been the last continent without a confirmed mainland case of the virus, according to AFP and Reuters.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in Sydney that the case was “concerning” and that his government would do “whatever we can to restrict any spread,” according to Al Jazeera, citing AFP and Reuters.
Authorities said testing confirmed H5N1 in a migratory brown skua found in Cape Le Grand National Park in Western Australia. They also said a giant petrel found in the same area was suspected of infection.
The confirmation marks a shift for Australia’s biosecurity position. AFP and Reuters reported that the country had previously avoided a confirmed mainland case, though H5N1 was detected in late 2025 on Heard Island, a sub-Antarctic Australian territory about 4,100km, or 2,550 miles, from the mainland.
Poultry sector not affected, minister says
Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said the virus had not been found in Australia’s poultry or agriculture sector, according to the report. Collins said officials had expected the country’s disease-free status to end at some point, saying, “We all knew we couldn’t be bird flu-free forever.”
The report did not detail specific control measures planned by the government. Albanese’s comments indicated the government would act to limit spread following confirmation of the case.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza has caused large losses in bird populations and farmed poultry in recent years. AFP and Reuters reported that hundreds of millions of birds have been culled globally because of the virus, disrupting food supplies and contributing to higher prices.
Human cases remain rare, according to AFP and Reuters. The immediate concern raised by Australian officials centered on spread among birds and the possible risk to agriculture, with Collins saying there had been no detection in the poultry or agriculture sector.
The confirmed case involved a wild migratory bird rather than farmed poultry. Authorities identified the infected bird as a brown skua, a seabird, and said the second suspected case involved a giant petrel from the same Western Australia area.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.