Australia remains the sole continent spared from an outbreak of the highly infectious H5N1 strain, a virus that first emerged in 1996.
According to SBS News, recent tests revealed no unusual bird fatalities on the island, including among penguin populations and other seabirds.
Globally, there has been a surge in H5N1 outbreaks in recent years, affecting both wild and domestic animal populations. It is estimated that millions of birds, both farmed and wild, have succumbed to the virus.
Notably, last year marked the first time that cattle were added to the list of animals affected by the virus, following its spread across several farms in the United States.
Last year, cattle were added to the list of animals infected by the virus after it spread across farms in multiple US states.
