As we discussed a month ago, the number of daily citizen reports of sick or dead birds in Australia was already far outpacing their government's ability to investigate and test carcasses.
Yesterday, DAFF announced major changes in how they will report H5N1. No longer will individual detections be announced, instead they will track individual `events'.
*From 12 August 2026, we have changed how we report on H5 bird flu detections. Reporting will be based on events, rather than individual bird detections, where an event may involve one or more birds. The new number of positive events captures all previously reported individual confirmed detections.
As of 4pm AEST, 13 August 2026, Australia has 186 confirmed events of H5 bird flu in wild birds.As H5 bird flu is confirmed in more locations and species in Australia it will not be necessary to continue testing all species in known areas of transmission, or to test every bird involved in an investigation. Reporting will be targeted to provide a clear picture of the national H5 bird flu situation in wildlife in Australia and key developments.
- 10 in Western Australia (WA)
- 123 in South Australia (SA)
- 4 in New South Wales (NSW)
- 1 in Queensland (QLD)
- 48 in Victoria (VIC).
Definitions
Investigation: An event where one or more wild birds or wild mammals showing signs of H5 bird flu have been reported to state or territory authorities and samples have been collected for laboratory testing.
Positive event: An investigation where H5 bird flu has been confirmed through laboratory testing.
Negative event: An investigation where laboratory testing has ruled out H5 bird flu.
Hotline report: A report to relevant state or territory authorities through the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline or other official sources.
Disclaimer
Data reflects information provided by state and territory governments to the Australian Government as at 17:00 AEST daily. The Australian Government publishes this information for national reporting purposes. Responsibility for the accuracy, completeness and currency of the data remains with the relevant state or territory government. Due to differences in reporting timing, information on the national dashboard may differ from information published on state or territory government websites.
It isn't clear how this change will affect individual state and territorial reporting, as this new format hasn't yet appeared on either the Victoria or South Australia bird flu update web pages.
Meanwhile, Tasmania has reported its first local positive detection of H5 in a brown skua. Samples have been sent to CSIRO for confirmation and subtyping.
This from NRE Tas.
H5 bird flu detected in Tasmania
The Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania (NRE Tas) has detected H5 avian influenza (bird flu) in a wild brown skua.
The bird was identified through NRE Tas surveillance efforts near Rocky Cape in the state’s north west and sent for testing at the Animal Health Laboratory in Launceston.
Following the initial positive test result, samples have been sent to the CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness in Geelong to confirm the positive detection.
This is Tasmania’s first positive detection in a wild bird. There have been no detections in poultry and there is no evidence of other species mortalities at this time.
Tasmania has been preparing for the arrival of H5 bird flu, working with other government agencies, stakeholders and the community, and is well prepared to respond.
NRE Tas will expand planned surveillance in and around the detection area, including King and Flinders islands. This will include further wildlife monitoring, sample collection and risk assessment activities.
Tasmania has a robust biosecurity system but it is not possible to stop infected wildlife from entering Tasmania.
The Tasmanian Avian Influenza Readiness and Response Plan sets out how NRE Tas will respond to an outbreak of H5 bird flu, and how you can prepare.
In the event of an outbreak, our response will also be guided by the Animal Health Australia AUSVETPLAN response strategy for avian influenza. AUSVETPLAN contains the nationally agreed approach for responding to emergency animal disease incidents in Australia.
Tasmania is also actively advancing vaccination for captive Orange-bellied Parrots as an additional protection measure for this endangered species however vaccination is not practical for most wild bird populations.
There is no approved vaccine in Australia for backyard, domestic or commercial poultry and birds. There is also no vaccine available for seals, dolphins and Tasmanian devils. The Australian Government is working to make new vaccines available and ensure they are safe for use.
For now, H5N1 has not been detected in poultry, livestock, or non-avian wildlife. But the odds that status quo will last are slim. Hopefully Australia is working on new and better ways to effectively communicate this rapidly evolving crisis to its public, and the world.
A little over 2 weeks ago we looked at a preprint by Raina MacIntyre et al. (HPAI H5N1 risk in Australia: a model for the prediction of poultry outbreaks) which included a map showing current HPAI H5 detections overlaying poultry production zones.
