#19,309
Our almost daily dose of increasingly bad H5N1 news from Australia continues with an announcement today that their first suspected HPAI infection in a land mammal (a red fox recovered in Osborne) - a suburb of Adelaide - has been forwarded to their national testing lab for confirmation.
Their progression of the virus moving from migratory birds to local birds to marine mammals and now potentially to land mammals (and likely on to poultry and/or livestock in the future) mirrors what we've seen in other regions of the world following the arrival of HPAI.
South Australia continues to be the nation's hotspot for HPAI detections, although only a small fraction of the more than 29,000 citizen hotline reports have been investigated across the nation.
As we saw 2 weeks ago, in Australia Changes How They Report H5N1- Australia now only counts `events' - not individual confirmed infections. So one event could represent multiple bird/animal deaths.
H5 bird flu testing update 26 August
Wednesday 26 August 2026 BiosecurityMedia release
There are five new suspect H5 bird flu events in South Australia since yesterday’s update.
The new suspect events include:Samples from these events have been sent to ACDP for confirmatory testing, with results expected to be known in the coming days.
- Australian raven Limestone Coast – Robe
- Little penguin Limestone Coast – Southend
- Greater crested tern Murray and Mallee – Coonalpyn
- Pacific gull Kangaroo Island – Baudin Beach
- Red fox Metropolitan – Osborne
This brings the current number of suspect H5 bird flu events in South Australia to 41.
The CSIRO’s Australian Centre for Disease Preparedness (ACDP) has no new confirmed H5 bird flu events in South Australia since yesterday’s update.
There are 195 confirmed H5 bird flu events in South Australia.
In line with national protocols, the South Australian Government recently changed how we report on H5 bird flu detections.
Reporting is now based on events, rather than individual animal detections, where an event may involve one or more animals. The number of positive events captures all previously reported individual confirmed detections.
An interactive map is available on the H5 bird flu website with up-to-date information on event locations: see current situation
There remains no H5 bird flu detections in poultry or other livestock. The risk to human health of H5 bird flu remains low.
Engagement with primary industries, the wildlife sector, and the broader South Australian community continues as part of the South Australian Government’s commitment to deliver the most comprehensive and effective wildlife and industry surveillance, reporting and preparedness efforts possible.
South Australians are encouraged to continue being vigilant in reporting sick and dead birds and other wildlife.
Avoid touching sick or dead birds and other wildlife. Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For the latest updates, information and advice about H5 bird flu in South Australia, including how to register for upcoming community forums, including tomorrow night (27 August) at Port MacDonnell, visit birdflu.sa.gov.au.
Yesterday South Australia also announced the approval of bird flu vaccinations for a limited number of endangered native birds residing at Cleland Wildlife Park has been approved.
For now, H5N1 has not been detected in Australian poultry or livestock, but that could be short-lived. Four 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 (then) current HPAI H5 detections overlaying poultry production zones.
Bird flu vaccination program approved for Cleland Wildlife Park
Native birds at Cleland Wildlife Park − including critically endangered species such as orange-bellied parrots and regent honeyeaters – have been approved for vaccination as part of the South Australian Government’s response to H5 bird flu.
The vaccination program has also been approved for a range of other native bird species at Cleland Wildlife Park, including:
- Magpie geese
- Australian pelicans
- Regent parrots
- Red-tailed black cockatoos
Developed by the South Australian Government, the vaccination program at Cleland will initially see up to 100 native birds vaccinated across over 30 different species.
The program has received the relevant approvals in line with the national framework that supports targeted vaccination of priority native bird species that are captive or managed.
A range of factors are considered when identifying priority species for vaccination, including the conservation status and value of the species, the likelihood of catching bird flu, and whether vaccination can be delivered safely and effectively, according to
regulatory requirements.
There remains no H5 bird flu detections in poultry or other livestock. The risk to human health of H5 bird flu remains low.
South Australians are encouraged to continue being vigilant in reporting sick and dead birds and other wildlife. Avoid touching sick or dead birds and other wildlife.
Record what you see. Report it to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For the latest updates, information and advice about H5 bird flu in South Australia visit birdflu.sa.gov.au.
For now, H5N1 has not been detected in Australian poultry or livestock, but that could be short-lived. Four 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 (then) current HPAI H5 detections overlaying poultry production zones.
As we've discussed often, even countries with long experience dealing with HPAI (see Front. Vet. Sci: Biosecurity deficiencies in HPAI-affected poultry farms in Korea, 2020/2021–2024/2025 seasons) have found it difficult to keep avian flu out of the henhouse.
And while things remain relatively quiet in the Northern Hemisphere, fall is just around the corner, and the expectation is avian flu will return once more with a vengeance.
Stay tuned.
