The deadly H5 bird flu is here. These global numbers could be a warning

Link copiedShareShare articleThe detection of Australia's first H5 bird flu cases means the deadly virus has now spread to every continent on the planet. This form of avian influenza is a high-pathogenicity strain first discovered more than 20 years ago. Since then, it has decimated wildlife and poultry farms worldwide. There have been calls for calm as it hits our own shores, with Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins saying the virus's spread to Australia was inevitable. But to comprehend why others are labelling the detection a "potential catastrophe", it is also worth zooming out. Here are some of the key numbers that explain the gravity of the virus globally. Since 2001, efforts to control the H5 strain of bird flu have resulted in the destruction of more than 400 billion chickens. Between 2005 and 2024, more than 633 million poultry birds were killed due to virus outbreaks, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). And as of their latest monthly report, 5.61 million had died or were culled during March 2026 alone. The recent deaths mostly occurred in the Americas and Europe. Mortality rates for poultry are often about 50 per cent, and in developing countries, cullings can also result in significant job losses. For example, in 2017, 20 per cent of South Africa's national flock was culled, resulting in the loss of more than 1,300 jobs. "Avian influenza can kill entire flocks of birds, so this causes devastating losses for the farming sector," said Keith Hamilton, the WOAH head of preparedness and resilience. More than 100 mammalian species have been infected with the virus, according to Wildlife Health Australia. This includes polar bears, foxes, dogs, cats and cows. In the US, 1,1,45 cow cases have been confirmed since 2024. The first detections occurred in March 2024, when unpasteurised milk samples from sick cattle on dairies in Kansas and Texas tested positive for the virus. Recently, the strain is believed to have wiped out more than two-thirds of the southern elephant seal pups on Heard Island and McDonald Islands. From January 2003 to March 2026, there have been 997 recorded cases of human infection with avian influenza, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). In the US, there have been 71 cases since 2024, with two resulting in deaths. Most human cases result from exposure to infected poultry or contaminated environments. There is no evidence the current H5 bird flu strain spreads between people. Australians are urged to avoid contact with sick or dead birds and animals. Of the 997 recorded cases, 478 have been fatal. This means the virus has a case fatality rate of 47.9 per cent. While there are no commercially available vaccines against bird flu for humans or other mammals, there are vaccines being trialled. Last year, the head of France's Institut Pasteur respiratory infections centre warned that if the virus mutated to transmit between humans, the results could be worse than the COVID-19 pandemic. "A bird flu pandemic would probably be quite severe, potentially even more severe than the pandemic we experienced," Marie-Anne Rameix-Welti, medical director at the Institut Pasteur's respiratory infections centre, told Reuters. Gregorio Torres, head of the Science Department at the World Organisation for Animal Health, argued the risk of a pandemic was still "very low". Major cities like Chicago saw eggs surge to record prices of $US8–$US10 for a dozen in early 2025 as a result of outbreaks. Average retail prices in January 2025 reached a record $US4.95 per dozen, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said. That was a 96 per cent increase from 2024 and 239 per cent from five years before. It led to nationwide egg shortages, with shoppers telling Reuters a "simple egg sandwich is like a luxury." Prices then fell sharply this year as the market shifted from shortages to oversupply. Copy linkFacebookX (formerly Twitter)Related topicsAustralia

The deadly H5 bird flu is here. These global numbers could be a warning

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