Investigation of poultry illness and deaths in Victoria, in May-June 2024, and in NSW and ACT in June 2024, has detected several different high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) viruses, strain H7. The outbreaks in Vic and NSW/ACT are not related to each other and are different strains of HPAI from the H5N1 avian influenza strain that has been impacting wildlife and poultry overseas.
More information on the outbreak in poultry in Victoria involving H7N3 and H7N9, is available on the Agriculture Victoria webpage and on the Outbreak webpage.
More information on the outbreak in poultry in NSW involving H7N8 is available on the NSW DPI avian influenza webpage and on the Outbreak webpage. See also NSW Chief Vet Officer Bulletins.
More information on the outbreak in poultry in the ACT involving H7N8 is available on the ACT government webpage.
The advice regarding wildlife has not changed; please see guidance documents on the WHA incident information page High pathogenicity avian influenza information H5N1 global outbreak.
There have been no reports of mass wild bird deaths or detections of HPAI in wild birds in Victoria, NSW or ACT. Enhanced bird surveillance is underway and monitoring of wild bird populations will continue.
Wildlife Health Australia supports wild bird surveillance for avian influenza (AI) by coordinating the National Avian Influenza Wild Bird (NAIWB) Steering Group. NAIWB members regularly undertake testing of wild birds for avian influenza. This surveillance continues to show presence of a wide range of low pathogenicity avian influenza (LPAI) virus strains in Australian wild birds, without signs of disease. Sometimes LPAI viruses can spill over from wild birds into poultry populations and may then mutate into HPAI strains within poultry. With over 140,000 tests having been undertaken, no HPAI viruses have been identified in Australian wild birds. See also WHA update on avian influenza and wild birds.
More information on avian influenza is available on the WHA Fact Sheet Avian influenza in wild birds in Australia.
Avian influenza viruses do not normally infect humans. Rarely, some strains are associated with disease in humans ranging from mild illness to severe disease and death (see Australian Department of Health and Aged Care).
Any unusual illness or death in wild birds should be reported via the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.
For more information on high pathogenicity avian influenza viruses in general, see the WHA incident information page High pathogenicity avian influenza information H5N1 global outbreak which provides links to information sheets, videos, toolkits and other resources.