Bird flu (avian influenza)

Bird flu mainly spreads to people from infected birds. Infections in people are rare but can cause severe illness or death. Stay away from sick or dead birds to protect yourself. We monitor bird flu in our community. We work with animal and environmental authorities to respond to bird flu.

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What bird flu is

Bird flu (also called avian influenza) is caused by specific influenza A viruses that typically infect birds. These viruses are different to those that cause human flu.

Bird flu rarely spreads to people. When it does, it causes a respiratory infection.

The current risk of bird flu to people in Australia is low. 

Why it matters to public health

Bird flu in people is rare but can cause severe disease or death. Spread from person-to-person is very rare.

Bird flu viruses can mutate quickly, especially during outbreaks. If a bird flu virus changes so that it can more easily infect people, it might cause a localised outbreak and then possibly a pandemic.

A person with bird flu was reported in Australia in 2024. The person was infected overseas and then returned home to Australia. The person was managed in hospital and recovered. The virus did not spread to anyone else.

A type of H5 bird flu – called H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b – is causing outbreaks in animals overseas. Many poultry, wild birds and mammals have been infected, so people are coming in contact with the virus more often. Although some people have been infected with H5 bird flu overseas, it hasn’t spread from person to person. 

Australia is the only continent free of H5 bird flu, but migratory wild birds might bring it here.

Because of these major impacts, and the potential for person-to-person spread, we:

Symptoms

Some infected people have no symptoms at all. But symptoms can include:

Symptoms can range from mild to severe.

healthdirect’s symptom checker can help you decide whether to see a health professional. 

Check your symptoms

Onset of symptoms

Symptoms usually start about 1 to 10 days after being infected.

How it spreads

Infected animals shed the virus in respiratory droplets and secretions, faeces and other body fluids. 

People can become infected if they:

  • breathe in contaminated dust or respiratory droplets
  • touch an infected animal, their body fluids or something contaminated with the virus, and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth. 

Infection usually happens after close contact with infected poultry – for example, chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese – or contaminated environments. 

It’s very rare for bird flu to spread from person to person. 

It is safe to eat properly handled, prepared and cooked meat and eggs.

Infectious period

People infected with bird flu are considered to be infectious from one day before symptoms start until either:

  • 7 days after symptoms begin
  • acute symptoms are gone (if symptoms remain after 7 days)

Prevention

Vaccination

Getting an annual flu vaccination is important. It is recommended for all people older than 6 months.

Although it does not protect against bird flu infection, it:

  • protects you from getting sick with human flu and bird flu at the same time
  • reduces the risk of seasonal flu and bird flu viruses mixing to create a more dangerous influenza virus.

It’s especially important for poultry workers and other people at greater risk of exposure for this reason. 

Other prevention steps

The best way to protect against bird flu is to:

  • wash your hands thoroughly before and immediately after handling any bird (even if healthy)
  • stay away from sick or dead birds and their
    • surroundings
    • droppings
    • body fluids
    • feathers
    • eggs
  • not allow pets to touch or eat sick and dead birds
  • thoroughly cook meat and eggs before eating.

If travelling

If you are travelling overseas: 

  • stay away from sick or dead animals (especially poultry) and places they are in, including
    • poultry farms and backyard chicken enclosures
    • areas with free ranging poultry
    • live animal ‘wet’ markets
  • ensure meat and animal products are cooked thoroughly before eating
  • do not consume raw (unpasteurised) milk
  • regularly check the health advice on Smartraveller.

If you get symptoms within 10 days of contact with sick or dead birds (or animals, if travelling overseas):

  • call your health professional and tell them you have been around birds
  • follow general advice to prevent the spread of your viral respiratory illness. 

If you find sick or dead birds

Australia is monitoring H5 bird flu in birds and other animals.

If you find multiple sick or dead birds or animals:

  • avoid the area
  • record your location and what you see (take photos or video, if possible)
  • report this information to the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline on 1800 675 888.

Priority groups and settings

People at greater risk of severe disease

Because there are so few human cases and so many subtypes of bird flu, we do not yet fully know which groups are at greater risk of severe disease. 

We expect they are similar to those for seasonal flu, and might include:

If you are at greater risk, it is especially important to take steps to protect yourself.

People at greater risk of exposure

Anyone who works, cares or volunteers with birds is more likely to be exposed to bird flu, especially poultry workers and outbreak responders.

Read more about protecting your employees or yourself.

Diagnosis and treatment

Your healthcare professional can diagnose bird flu with a test. 

Make sure you tell them if you have been in contact with birds.

The sample is usually collected from your nose or throat with a swab and sent to a laboratory for testing. If you have conjunctivitis, a swab may be taken from your eye.

Your healthcare professional might also refer you for blood tests. 

You can use healthdirect’s directory to find a health service near you. 

Find a health service

Most people with bird flu receive antiviral treatment to prevent severe disease.

Surveillance and reporting

Bird flu is a nationally notifiable disease – these are diseases that present a risk to public health.

Health authorities in each state and territory report new confirmed cases to us daily through the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System. 

This is part of our surveillance activities, which help us monitor case numbers around the country and understand disease patterns. 

We analyse the data and report on case numbers and other data through our data visualisation tool, where you can filter and search the latest information.

Agricultural authorities work with non-government organisations to monitor wild birds for bird flu. 

Outbreaks

All outbreaks in animals require a public health response to protect people from infected animals.

In Australia, all past animal outbreaks have been in poultry and were successfully eliminated. 

Public health actions include:

  • identifying and managing people exposed to infected animals
  • educating people about how to protect themselves and others
  • working with agricultural authorities and affected industries
  • putting in place extra infection prevention and control precautions – such as personal protective equipment
  • encouraging annual flu vaccination for people work in the outbreak site.

Read more about how we define and plan for outbreaks and pandemics.

Support

For more information see:

For information about bird flu in your state or territory see:

If you need mental health support, see a list of organisations, websites and services that offer support, counselling and information.

For travel advice, see Smartraveller.

We regularly add new content to this website. This will include more topics and diseases. In the meantime, information about other diseases in Australia is on the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing’s website. 

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