About bird flu
Bird flu is caused by influenza A viruses, like those causing human flu.
Bird flu mainly affects birds, but can also affect other animals, and, on rare occasions, humans.
Current situation
A strain of highly pathogenic bird flu (HPAI) is spreading globally. This has caused widescale outbreaks in poultry and wild birds, and spillover infections in mammals.
The HPAI strain has not been detected in animals in Australia.
Australia has had one reported case of the virus in a human in 2024. The person contracted the virus overseas, received treatment in Australia, and made a full recovery.
Read the latest global bird flu information.
Risk to humans
Most bird flu viruses don’t spread easily from animals to humans. Human infections are rare, and typically occur after close contact with sick birds and livestock or contaminated environments.
The risk to Australians is very low.
People at higher risk
Workers (including unpaid volunteers) who spend a lot of time around birds infected with bird flu are at higher risk of being infected.
See the steps you can take to protect yourself.
Symptoms in humans
Look out for symptoms if you:
- have been in contact with infected birds or animals
- are currently visiting or recently returned from a country affected by the virus.
If you are infected, you might not show any symptoms, or you might get:
- fever
- cough
- sore throat
- runny or blocked nose
- eye redness
- muscle or body aches
- fatigue
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- pneumonia.
Less common signs and symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or seizures.
Bird flu and food
Bird flu is not a food safety concern. Eggs and poultry meat are safe to eat if handled and cooked in line with normal safe food handling practices.
Travelling overseas
Before you travel
Check the health advice for each country you are visiting on Smartraveller.
During your travel
If you are travelling to areas affected by the virus:
- avoid poultry farms and live bird 'wet' markets
- avoid contact with wild or domesticated birds
- wash your hands thoroughly if you handle birds or uncooked poultry products such as meat or eggs
- cook poultry or poultry products thoroughly before eating
- regularly check for updated health advice for each country you are visiting on Smartraveller.
- monitor yourself for symptoms.
When you return
If you have been in a country affected by bird flu and have symptoms:
- seek medical advice
- inform your healthcare provider of your travel history.
Seeking medical advice
If you have had contact with or handled sick birds, or develop symptoms, ask a health professional to test you for bird flu. Until this is done, you should:
- stay away from others as much as possible or wear a mask
- practise good hygiene by covering your mouth when you cough or sneeze
- wash your hands often and dispose of used tissues properly.
Risk to Australian animals
Migratory wild birds can bring bird flu into Australia. This can affect common Australian birds, pet birds and wildlife, but is low risk.
Read more about:
- how to protect your backyard chickens or pet birds from disease and identify symptoms
- bird flu in wildlife
- responding to finding sick of dead wildlife.
If you find sick or dead wild birds and suspect bird flu, do not handle them. Call the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888 or your local veterinarian.
Handling birds
If you have contact with birds, protect yourself by:
- avoiding contact with sick or dead birds and their faeces
- practising good hand hygiene and always thoroughly washing your hands with soap before and after handling birds
- not touching sick or dead birds, their faeces or litter
- avoiding any water that has been in contact with a dead bird, such as ponds, buckets, pans or troughs
- wearing personal protective equipment when around sick or dead birds
- monitoring yourself for symptoms.
Seasonal flu vaccination in humans
While the seasonal influenza vaccination will not prevent against infection with bird flu viruses, it is important that poultry workers and people travelling overseas, (particularly to countries with bird flu outbreaks) get a seasonal influenza vaccine. This is because it reduces the risk of being getting infected with seasonal and bird flu at the same time.
Mental health support and services
Experiencing a disease outbreak in your workplace or community can be stressful and may affect your mental health.
See where to find mental health support.
For health professionals
If a patient presents with respiratory symptoms after suspected exposure to avian influenza virus, contact your local public health unit for advice on:
- patient evaluation
- testing
- treatment.
If you have a patients with suspected avian influenza:
- collect a specimen for laboratory testing
- provide adequate clinical and epidemiological information on the pathology request form, such as travel to an outbreak area, or exposure to an infected person or animal
- call the laboratory in advance to let them know the specimens is on its way.
Read more about the public health management of avian influenza cases.
Reporting a case
Follow your state and territory protocols for notification of a case of avian influenza.
State and territory health departments use the Avian influenza in humans – Surveillance case definition to decide whether to notify the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care. This document outlines the requirements for confirmed, probable and suspected cases.
Laboratory testing
Diagnostic laboratories across Australia can detect and confirm a case of avian influenza, but not all laboratories can confirm the strain. In some cases, samples are referred to specialised laboratories for additional testing.
Laboratory professionals use the influenza laboratory case definition as a standard to:
- confirm a diagnosis of influenza in Australia
- find out how to refer a sample for further testing, if required.
The case definition includes:
- the criteria for diagnosis of influenza (including avian influenza)
- the different types of testing
- the clinical specimens to use.
Some avian influenza viruses that are of high risk to humans (such as influenza A – H5N1) are classified as Security Sensitive Biological Agents. Laboratories handling these strains must follow strict regulatory requirements. Read more about the Security Sensitive Biological Agent Regulatory Scheme.
Current strains of avian influenza
See the latest information on current strains of avian influenza and outbreaks.
Resources
For more information, see: