As of 3 July 2026, Agriculture Victoria have announced that there are no H5 bird flu detections in Victorian wildlife or in poultry.
Australia has had five cases of H5 bird flu in wild migratory seabirds confirmed by CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness – four confirmed cases in Western Australia and one in South Australia. There is a further suspected detection in Western Australia, and New South Wales is currently responding to a suspected positive case of H5 bird flu.
At this stage, there is no evidence that the virus has spread beyond migratory seabirds and no evidence of mass mortality in wildlife or other animals. There have been no detections in poultry in Australia.
The current risk of bird flu to people in Australia is low. Human cases are rare and not easily transmitted between people, and there are currently no detections in Victoria. Bird flu is not a food safety risk for chicken meat and eggs if they are handled and cooked correctly.
As we have seen the global spread of the H5 bird flu virus, Victoria has been focusing on preparedness and is well-advanced to support early detection, assessment and response.
If you see something unusual, don’t ignore it. Community reports play a vital role in Victoria’s animal disease surveillance system.
CLICK HERE to find out more, and how to report suspected avian influenza in birds, wildlife and poultry.
