Australia’s New South Wales confirms H5N1 bird flu

New South Wales became Australia’s third state to confirm a case of H5N1 bird flu after authorities said a migratory seabird found near a coastal town returned a positive result for the highly pathogenic virus. Australia last month became the final continent to confirm a mainland case of H5N1, although the virus had been detected in late 2025 on the sub-Antarctic territory of Heard Island, about 4,100 km (2,600 miles) from continental Australia. Six infections have now been confirmed across three states, including in a seabird called the giant petrel found near the seaside town of Hawks Nest in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous state, the authorities said late on Saturday. The H5 strain has led to the culling of hundreds of millions of birds in the past few years, disrupting food supplies and driving up prices. Human infections of the virus remain rare. “The positive test is the first confirmed detection of H5 in New South Wales,” state Agriculture Minister Tara Mor