3:17 PM NZST9 days ago
- The Government is introducing new biosecurity regulations to help poultry farmers manage H5 bird flu, protect livelihoods, and secure New Zealand’s domestic food supply.
- Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard says H5 bird flu is now expected to establish in wild bird populations.
- Cabinet has approved regulations requiring the poultry sector to have stronger biosecurity practices, infrastructure, reporting systems, and compliance measures.
- Poultry operators with more than 100 birds will be required to:
- Develop a farm biosecurity plan for avian disease.
- Register the plan.
- Put the plan into practice.
- Explain how they will prevent and manage H5 bird flu.
- Biosecurity measures are currently voluntary across the poultry sector.
- The Government says voluntary measures can leave responsible farmers exposed to risks created by operators who do not follow adequate biosecurity practices.
- Biosecurity New Zealand and the poultry industry have been working on a long-term approach to managing H5 bird flu.
- Poultry farmers can access biosecurity guidance through the industry’s bird flu website.
- MPI’s On Farm Support team will help operators, particularly smaller farms, develop biosecurity and outbreak response plans.
- The regulations will focus on the outcomes operators must achieve and the risks they must manage, while allowing flexibility in how requirements are met.
- Operators will be required to:
- Keep biosecurity records.
- Undergo audits.
- Prepare humane culling plans.
- Plan for the disposal of affected birds.
- Establish cleaning and disinfection procedures.
- Poultry farms are expected to face an ongoing infection risk once H5 bird flu becomes widespread among wild birds.
- The regulations are intended to improve on-farm readiness and give operators a stronger chance of protecting their businesses.
- Regulation under the Biosecurity Act 1993 will also help protect:
- New Zealand’s food supply.
- International trade.
- Wild and captive birds.
- Other animals.
- Public health.
- MPI consulted on the proposed regulations late last year and received 36 submissions.
- Feedback on the proposal was broadly supportive.
- The regulations will now be drafted and shared with poultry industry bodies.
- The new rules are expected to come into force by the end of 2026.
6:38 PM NZST9 days ago
- On July 18, MPI staff carried out enhanced surveillance in the Wairarapa following the second confirmed H5 bird flu case.
- On July 23, MPI crews took to the skies to inspect remote stretches of the Wairarapa coastline that were difficult to reach by road or on foot.
- Aerial teams scanned coastal areas for sick or dead wild birds, especially in locations where large bird populations gathered.
- The flights allowed investigators to cover wide areas quickly and identify possible clusters that may not have been visible from the ground.
- Any concerning sightings could then be followed up with field visits, sample collection and laboratory testing.
- The aerial operation supported public reports, ground surveillance and specialist investigations as MPI checked for any further H5 bird flu cases.
- MPI reported that no further detections had been confirmed following the Wairarapa case.
6:27 PM NZST10 days ago
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is using public reports, field surveillance, specialist investigators and aerial monitoring to watch for any further cases of H5 bird flu in New Zealand.
The surveillance response was strengthened following the second confirmation of an H5 bird flu case in the Wairarapa. Since that detection, Biosecurity New Zealand staff have continued assessing reports of sick and dead birds while carrying out targeted checks across the region and wider country.
MPI staff conducted enhanced surveillance in the Wairarapa on July 18. The work focused on identifying unusual illness or deaths among wild birds and determining whether any reports required further investigation.
The team is experienced and consider every notification involving suspected avian influenza.
Reports are assessed and triaged based on factors including the number of birds involved, the species, the location and the symptoms or circumstances reported. This process allows investigators to identify reports that may require closer examination, field visits, sample collection or laboratory testing.
Public reporting is a major part of the surveillance system. People living and working around coastlines, waterways, farms and wildlife habitats can often be the first to notice unusual bird behaviour or groups of dead animals.
MPI has thanked the public for the strong response following the Wairarapa detection as they continue to assess notifications about unwell and dead birds, with each report helping build a clearer picture of what is happening across the country.
No further detections of H5 bird flu had been confirmed following the Wairarapa case.
On July 23, MPI staff took to the skies to inspect the remote Wairarapa coastline. The aerial reconnaissance allowed surveillance teams to view isolated stretches of coast that can be difficult to reach by road or on foot.
Staff were looking for any signs of unwell or dead birds, especially in areas where wild bird populations may gather.
Aerial surveys can help investigators cover a large area quickly and identify possible clusters that may not have been reported from the ground.
The operation was part of MPI’s wider response to the second confirmed case and provided another layer of surveillance alongside public notifications and field investigations.
Bird flu is caused by influenza viruses that mainly affect birds. Monitoring is important because wild birds can move across large distances and may gather in significant numbers around coastlines, wetlands and waterways.
Early detection gives authorities more time to investigate possible cases and determine whether infection is present. It also helps protect native wildlife, poultry farms and other bird populations from potential exposure.
MPI’s surveillance system relies on information from several sources. These include reports from members of the public, observations from government staff, advice from veterinarians and wildlife specialists, and results from testing.
Not every report of a sick or dead bird will be linked to bird flu. Birds can die or become unwell for many reasons, including injury, weather, starvation or other diseases. Each report still provides useful information and allows MPI to decide whether further investigation is needed.
People should not touch sick or dead wild birds. Anyone who sees three or more sick or dead wild birds in a group should record what they have seen and note the precise location. Photographs may also help investigators when they can be taken safely and without approaching the birds.
Public notifications remain one of the most effective ways to alert authorities to unusual bird deaths in remote or difficult-to-monitor areas.
MPI is continuing surveillance following the Wairarapa detection and says it remains ready to investigate further reports.
3:18 PM NZST10 days ago
There have been no further detections of H5 bird flu since July 17 2026. There is no evidence of any mass mortality in wildlife. There has been no detection in poultry.
9:46 AM NZST12 days ago
A US poultry farmer and educator shares her experience of an H5N1 outbreak, the loss of 148,000 birds, and biosecurity lessons she believes every farmer should know.
12:13 PM NZST13 days ago
New Zealand is no longer dealing with a single, isolated warning. Two wild birds have now tested positive for the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of bird flu, confirming the virus has reached separate parts of the lower North Island.
The first case involved a brown skua found at Petone Beach in Wellington. The second was detected in a kāhu, or swamp harrier, found in Wairarapa.
Authorities managing the potential for a wider outbreak say there are no confirmed infections in commercial poultry and no human cases in New Zealand. The current public health risk remains low. Those facts should prevent panic, but they should not prevent scrutiny.
Two confirmed detections do not prove bird flu is spreading widely across the country, but they do raise the catastrophic stakes.
The Government must now demonstrate that its response is built for more than reassuring statements and limited wildlife surveillance.
The public deserves to know what happens if a third, fourth or tenth infected bird is found. It also deserves clear answers about what happens if the virus reaches poultry farms, domestic animals or people.
The Government has already said New Zealand prepared for the virus through surveillance, emergency planning, industry biosecurity measures and vaccination programmes for some threatened native birds. Those precautions are necessary, particularly when even a small outbreak could devastate vulnerable wildlife populations.
Preparation must also extend beyond conservation facilities.
The Ministry of Health needs established testing capacity and clear clinical guidance that can facilitate rapid reporting systems for anyone exposed to infected birds. Hospitals and primary care providers must also know what symptoms to watch for and how suspected cases will be isolated, tested and treated.
Poultry farmers need confidence that compensation, testing, movement controls and outbreak support can be deployed quickly if the virus enters a commercial flock. The public also needs transparent updates.
Confirmed detections, testing numbers, affected regions and any evidence of transmission between birds or into other animals must be published. Silence between major announcements creates that looming uncertainty and leaves space for misinformation to spread.
The H5N1 virus strain rarely infects humans without direct, close and prolonged exposure to sick birds.
It does not currently spread efficiently between people but that does not make the threat irrelevant.
Internationally, the virus has infected wild birds, poultry and several mammal species. Its continued spread increases opportunities for further viral change, making early detection and containment critical.
New Zealand has an advantage that it did not have at the beginning of Covid-19.
This threat has been advancing overseas for years and authorities have had time to study outbreaks, prepare response plans and identify weaknesses before the virus arrived.
The discovery of two infected wild birds means that planning must now be tested against reality.
Waiting for a human infection before strengthening the response would be a failure of preparedness. Waiting for commercial poultry losses before establishing support systems would be equally reckless.
The Government must treat these two cases as an early warning, not an inconvenient development to be managed through reassurance. The response now will determine whether New Zealand stays ahead of the threat or is forced to chase it after the damage begins.
Help stop the spread
- Do not touch, handle or move sick or dead wild birds.
- Keep dogs and other animals away from affected birds and bird remains.
- Use strong on-farm biosecurity and prevent poultry from contacting wild birds.
- Wash hands and clean footwear after visiting beaches, wetlands or areas with wild birds.
Report sick or dead birds
Get H5N1 update alerts
Confirmed H5N1 locations in New Zealand
Click a marker to view the confirmed detection details.
Wairarapa
Second H5 bird flu case confirmed in Wairarapa
A single kāhu, or swamp harrier hawk, found in the Wairarapa has become New Zealand’s second confirmed H5 bird flu case.
Source: New Zealand GovernmentPetone Beach
First H5 bird flu case confirmed at Petone Beach
A brown skua found at Petone Beach returned New Zealand’s first confirmed positive test for H5 bird flu.
Source: New Zealand Government*thisquality is an independent news and information service operated by Quiet Pact Network Limited and is not an official government, health, biosecurity or emergency authority. The H5N1 timeline, map, email alerts and related material are compiled from official statements and other verified reporting for general information only; information may be delayed, incomplete, corrected or changed without notice and must not be relied on as medical, veterinary, biosecurity, legal or emergency advice. Map markers show reported detection locations only and do not establish outbreak boundaries, exposure zones or whether any location is safe or unsafe, while email alerts are provided as a convenience and are not guaranteed to be immediate, continuous or successfully delivered. Readers should check the latest information and follow instructions issued by the New Zealand Government, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand or other relevant authorities, and seek appropriate professional advice before acting. Although reasonable care is taken, Quiet Pact Network Limited does not guarantee that the content is complete, accurate, current or suitable for any particular purpose and, to the fullest extent permitted by New Zealand law, excludes liability for any loss, damage, cost or consequence arising from access to or reliance on this page. Nothing in this disclaimer excludes or limits any right, remedy or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited.