Bird flu count climbs past 200 in Australia, states tighten controls

The H5N1 avian influenza epidemic in Australia has breached the 200‑bird mark, with federal officials confirming 203 positive cases as of Saturday. The surge represents a dramatic jump from the 52 cases documented at the end of July.

South Australia’s testing program identified 28 infected birds out of 147 sampled, all belonging to wild seabird species. Victoria logged 43 confirmed infections, placing it second only to South Australia. Most of these were found in the western part of the state close to the inter‑state border.

In a bid to contain the virus, Victorian authorities issued a directive on Friday requiring poultry farms with flocks of 50 birds or more to house the animals indoors for a minimum of 14 days. The order covers facilities in Melbourne and the surrounding southern coastal districts.

Agriculture Minister Mikela Setal expressed optimism that the short‑term confinement will disrupt transmission pathways. Chief Veterinary Officer Beth Cunningham reported a national total of 102 confirmed H5N1 cases, with 81 located in South Australia, and confirmed that, to date, the outbreak poses no direct threat to human health.

Environment Minister Mare Wot warned of the potential for additional spikes, recalling that the continent recently reported its first large‑scale bird deaths linked to the virus. Similar events in 2022 and between 2025‑26 caused massive mortality among sea lions and southern elephant seal pups in the Southern Ocean.

Authorities continue to advise poultry producers to follow rigorous biosecurity measures while wildlife agencies intensify monitoring of wild bird colonies for further signs of infection.