Agriculture Minister Julie Collins announced that laboratory tests verified the presence of the virus in 49 dead birds alongside 35 sick seabirds spotted during aerial helicopter surveys, cautioning that further wildlife casualties are anticipated as the virus circulates through local ecosystems.

No cases detected on poultry farms

Government officials confirmed that, to date, there are no indications that H5N1 has infiltrated Australian poultry farms, many of which have ramped up biosecurity protocols since the strain was initially identified in the country this past June.

Across the nation, Australia has documented 74 confirmed cases of H5N1 spanning multiple states, with South Australia accounting for the vast majority of detections.

Human risk remains low

Health authorities noted that while the H5N1 virus is capable of transmitting to humans handling infected wildlife, human infections remain exceptionally rare, keeping the current public health risk low. In response, authorities in both Australia and New Zealand have enhanced monitoring and preparedness strategies to contain further dissemination of the virus.