Australian authorities have confirmed the first mainland instance of the H5N1 avian influenza strain following the detection of an infected migratory seabird in Western Australia.

澳洲當局在西澳洲發現一隻受感染的遷徙海鳥後，確認了 H5N1 禽流感病毒首次在澳洲本土出現。

The detection occurred at Cape Le Grand National Park, where a brown skua tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain. A second specimen, a giant petrel, is currently undergoing diagnostic verification via the CSIRO laboratory. This event signifies that the H5N1 variant is now present on every continent. Prior to this mainland detection, the virus had been identified in October 2025 within the Australian sub-Antarctic territories of Heard and McDonald Islands, where it is estimated to have caused the mortality of approximately 13,000 southern elephant seal pups and numerous king penguins.

此次發現發生在 Le Grand 國家公園，當地一隻棕色小 skú檢測出高度致病性 H5N1 病毒陽性。第二個樣本（一隻巨彼得信鵜）目前正由 CSIRO 實驗室進行診斷核實。此事件標誌著 H5N1 變異株現已遍布每個大洲。在本次本土發現之前，該病毒於 2025 年 10 月在澳洲亞南極領土的 Heard 島與 McDonald 島被發現，據估計造成約 13,000 隻南象海豹幼崽及大量帝企鵝死亡。

Institutional responses are being coordinated through the Consultative Committee for Emergency Animal Disease. The federal government has allocated $113 million toward preparatory measures, including enhanced biosecurity protocols and the development of over 100 species-specific response plans. These plans target high-risk fauna, such as the Tasmanian devil, the orange-bellied parrot, and various marine mammals. While the administration has noted the absence of mass mortalities or poultry infections to date, surveillance has been intensified to determine if the virus has established a presence within native populations or remains limited to migratory vectors.

相關機構的反應正由緊急動物疾病諮詢委員會協調。聯邦政府已撥款 1.13 億美元用於準備措施，包括加強生物安全協定以及制定超過 100 份針對特定物種的應對計劃。這些計劃針對高風險動物，例如塔斯馬尼亞惡魔、橙腹鸚鵡以及各種海洋哺乳類動物。儘管政府指出目前尚未發現大規模死亡或家禽感染，但已加強監測，以確定該病毒是否已在本土生物種群中建立存在，或仍僅限於遷徙媒介。

Public health guidance emphasizes the avoidance of contact with deceased or symptomatic wildlife to mitigate the risk of zoonotic transmission. Although human infections are characterized as rare and typically require sustained contact with infected animals, authorities have advised the implementation of strict biosecurity measures for domestic animals and the reporting of anomalies via the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline.

公共衛生指南強調，應避免接觸死亡或有症狀的野生動物，以降低人畜共傳染的風險。雖然人類感染被視為罕見，且通常需要與受感染動物有持續接觸，但當局建議對家畜實施嚴格的生物安全措施，並透過緊急動物疾病熱線報告異常情況。

Australia has transitioned from a bird flu-free status to an active surveillance phase as it seeks to contain the spread of H5N1 within its wildlife and agricultural sectors.

澳洲已從無禽流感狀態轉入積極監測階段，旨在遏制 H5N1 在其野生動物與農業部門的傳播。