New Zealand records first H5N1 bird flu case

New Zealand confirmed its first H5N1 avian influenza case on 15 July 2026, in a brown skua found dead on Petone Beach, Wellington. Biosecurity Minister Andrew Hoggard reported no evidence of wider wildlife deaths or poultry outbreaks. The strain has circulated globally since 2021, reaching Antarctica by 2024 and Australia earlier this month. New Zealand was among the last major regions still untouched.