Archive · 25 Jul 2026
Queensland confirms first H5N1 bird flu case
Queensland, Australia, has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a migratory seabird.
This makes Queensland the fourth state in Australia to report the virus.
The bird was found by park rangers on Moreton Island, near Brisbane.
Authorities say there is no evidence of the virus spreading to poultry or causing large-scale animal deaths.
They also say the risk to human health is low.
The virus has been spreading among wild birds and mammals since 2021, causing millions of deaths.
Earlier this month, Australia's government confirmed the first case in a local seabird, which raised concerns about the virus spreading more widely.
Queensland confirms first H5N1 bird flu case in a migratory seabird.
The virus was found in a dead petrel on Moreton Island, near Brisbane.
This makes Queensland the fourth Australian state to report H5N1.
Authorities say there is no evidence of the virus spreading to poultry or causing large-scale animal deaths.
The risk to human health remains low, according to authorities.
- Who
- Queensland authorities and park rangers
- What
- Confirmation of H5N1 bird flu in a migratory seabird
- When
- June 2025
- Where
- Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia
- Why
- The virus has been spreading through wild bird and mammal populations since 2021.
Public Health Officials
General Public
Risk Assessment
Public Health Officials
The risk to human health remains low, and there are no detections in poultry or large-scale animal deaths.
General Public
The spread of H5N1 to a fourth state raises concerns about potential wider impacts on wildlife and humans.
- Location
- Moreton Island, Queensland, Australia
- Date
- June 2025
- Affected Species
- Migratory seabird (petrel)
- Total Cases in Australia
- 18
- States Affected
- 4
- Risk to Humans
- Low
- First Detection in Australia
- Late 2025 on Heard Island