#19,252
Two days after announcing their first detection (in an unspecified ocean-going sea bird), New Zealand reports finding H5N1 in a local bird (a swamp harrier hawk) found in the sparsely populated Wairarapa region on the north island (see map above).SITUATION UPDATE: 17 July 2026
Response and surveillance work continues to step up in close coordination with industry partners and others after a single kāhu, swamp harrier hawk, found in the Wairarapa, was confirmed to have H5 bird flu (H5N1 avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b).
- This is the second bird in New Zealand confirmed to have H5 bird flu, following a single detection in a brown skua seabird found on Petone Beach in Wellington on 15 July. In addition to New Zealand’s continuous bird flu surveillance and testing programme, additional work will include:extra checking of birds at selected sites in the Wairarapa over coming days
- alongside industry, MPI will offer one-on-one support and advice to poultry and egg operations in Wellington and the Wairarapa
- establishing a technical advisory group of expert scientists to supplement advice from MPI’s internationally recognised experts.
The Department of Conservation will continue its vaccination programme for 300 core breeding birds from 5 of our most endangered birds – kākāpō, takahē, tūturuatu/shore plover, kakī/black stilt, and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet.
There continues to be no detections in poultry.
Chicken and eggs remain safe to eat and bird flu is a very low risk to human health.
Be alert and use good habits to limit the impact of bird flu
Keep your distance. Stay away from sick or dead wildlife. Keep pets away too.
Keep clean. Wash your hands and clean your gear after being outdoors.
You'll find a more extensive press release on New Zealand's Beehive press release website (excerpts below).
17 July 2026
Bird flu work steps up - second case confirmed
Work on the ground will step up after confirmation today a single Kāhu, swamp harrier hawk, which was found in the Wairarapa, is the second bird in New Zealand confirmed to have H5 bird flu, says Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard and Conservation Minister Tama Potaka.
“While it’s disappointing to find a native bird with H5 bird flu, it’s not unexpected following the confirmation earlier this week of our first case in a single brown skua seabird found at Petone Beach,” says Mr Hoggard. “There has been no detection in poultry.”
“The find shows our continuous bird flu surveillance and testing programme is working well, and as a result, we will step up our actions in response to bird flu in close co-ordination with our industry partners and others.”
Mr Hoggard said that work would include:“This hawk can go out to the coast - especially in winter to hunt. Hawks can get bird flu by hunting, eating, or scavenging infected birds,” says Mr Hoggard.
- Extra checking of birds at selected sites in the Wairarapa over coming days.
- Alongside industry, MPI will offer one-on-one support and advice to poultry and egg operations in Wellington and the Wairarapa.
- Establishing a technical advisory group of expert scientists to supplement advice from MPI’s internationally recognised experts.
- The Department of Conservation continues its vaccination programme for 300 core breeding birds from five of our most endangered birds - kākāpō, takahē, tūturuatu/shore plover, kakī/black stilt and kākāriki karaka/orange-fronted parakeet.
“It’s important we continue to work closely with the egg and poultry industry as we have over the past several years preparing for bird flu’s arrival. On-site biosecurity plans and measures are very important for chicken and egg producers, and we will up our work alongside sector groups to provide support and advice.
“While it’s an individual decision for businesses, we support free range farmers taking precautionary action to protect their birds by temporarily housing them while we continue to gather more information about the spread of H5 bird flu.
“We will have to learn to live with bird flu as it cannot be eradicated, and overseas experience shows strong biosecurity measures on-farm help.”
(Continue . . . )
Meanwhile, the number (of reported bird deaths & confirmed cases) in Australia continues to rise, with Western Australia reporting 2 more confirmed cases overnight.
Wild petrel positive for bird flu at Seabird
Media release
Two additional cases of H5 bird flu have been confirmed in Western Australia, taking the State's total number of detections to ten.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Two additional cases of H5 bird flu have been confirmed in Western Australia, taking the State's total number of detections to ten.
Testing at CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness today confirmed the ‘presumed positive’ detection in a petrel found at Seabird in the Shire of Gingin, and in a previously reported suspect petrel found at Parry Beach in Denmark.
In both cases, testing was unable to sequence the virus to definitively determine the H5 bird flu strain. This is not unexpected, particularly in wildlife samples from decomposed carcasses.
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is taking a precautionary approach and treating these as positive detections based on the species involved, the circumstances of the detection and available evidence.
At this time, there is no evidence of any large-scale deaths in wildlife, nor any evidence of infection in poultry or in our agricultural production system.
There have been more than 1800 wildlife-related reports from WA to the hotline since the first confirmed case on 19 June. Each report is assessed for further investigation or testing based on the likelihood of disease risk.
To date, a total of 130 negative test results has been recorded across the State.
The risk to human health remains low, but people are reminded to avoid handing the animals, record their observations by photo or video and report to the EAD hotline on 1800 675 888.
More information is available on the Australian Government's Bird flu (Avian influenza) website.
While both governments continue to stress that there have been no outbreaks in poultry - or large-scale deaths in wildlife - sadly, H5N1's history suggests both scenarios are highly likely.
Stay tuned.
