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First Australian death of little penguin with H5 bird flu confirmed on Phillip Island

Source: The Guardian World - Published: 15 Aug 2026 10:01

Authorities confirm first Australian death of species found with virus near where it attracts crowds to a ‘penguin parade’Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastAustralia’s first case of the deadly H5 bird flu in a little penguin has been confirmed on Victoria’s Phillip Island, only days after the state government announced it would begin vaccinating the species.Confirmation of the virus in the little penguin will spark a race to vaccinate thousands of birds, with the government announcing on Saturday it would begin the rollout on Monday. Continue reading...