‘Significant’ jump in COVID-19 cases ahead of Christmas
A surge in COVID-19 cases has hit ahead of the festive season with health authorities warning those at risk to take precautions to avoid getting sick.
virus diseases
Strengthening wildlife numbers key to mitigate bird flu
The Invasive Species Council wants better bird protections to mitigate the impact of a deadly bird flu strain as Australia war games how to contain an outbreak.
Nation’s sick state of readiness for pandemics unmasked
Australia's healthcare, economy and public service have been exhausted by COVID-19 and a Centre for Disease Control will be set up to prepare for pandemics.
Deadly bird flu could lead to mass extinctions
Australia is preparing for a deadly strain of the bird flu which could lead to the extinction of unique species, as authorities brace for its arrival.
Devastating bird flu strain ‘on Australia’s doorstep’
Conservation groups are calling for more funding to prepare for the arrival of a deadly bird flu strain believed to have killed billions of animals worldwide.
Vaccines urged as mpox cases surge in global emergency
Now is the time for eligible people to get their mpox vaccines, experts say, as monthly diagnoses in Australia surge from the single digits to the hundreds.
Thailand says mpox case is more easily spread variant
A man detected as having a case of mpox in Thailand has the clade 1b strain of the virus, health authorities say.
Mpox cases on the rise amid global health emergency
Mpox cases are rising in Australia's eastern states, with certain groups of sexually-active men in particular urged to seek out free vaccines.
Sweden finds mpox variant first identified in DR Congo
Sweden has recorded the first confirmed case outside of the African continent of a newer variant of mpox, health officials say.
Plea to avoid panic as ‘unusual’ deadly outbreak grows
Victoria's legionnaires' disease outbreak has grown to 71 confirmed cases and a further seven suspected, following the death of an infected woman in her 90s.
Race to find source of legionnaires’ disease outbreak
The source of an outbreak of a severe form of pneumonia is yet to be confirmed but it is thought to be a cooling tower due to the high number of cases.
GPs urge jabs as winter lurgies return with a vengeance
A spike in illness ranging from flu and whooping cough to gastro concerns doctors and health authorities who urge more people to get vaccinated.
Tourism bouncing back with record visitor spending
International visitors are spending the most since 2019 as the tourism industry inches closer to recovering from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Experts struggle to crack mystery new bird-flu outbreak
Australia does not do enough to protect its biosecurity, an expert has warned as authorities work overtime to contain the spread of bird flu in two states.
Funding plea as health system faces ‘national crisis’
Patients are copping the brunt of a deteriorating health system as state and territory health ministers call on the federal government to help fix the "crisis".
Fears people will crack as Coles imposes egg limits
A growing bird flu outbreak is yet to hit farmed chicken meat but shoppers have been urged to avoid panic-buying after a supermarket introduced egg sale limits.
Thousands of hens to be culled as flu hits fifth farm
A Victorian egg producer will destroy tens of thousands of hens after avian influenza was detected at a second farm, bringing the number impacted to five.
WHO confirms first fatal human case of bird flu A(H5N2)
The World Health Organisation says a death related to a confirmed human case of infection with A(H5N2) subtype of bird flu is the first of its kind globally.
Bird flu cull leads to 450,000 fewer eggs per day
It could take years for farms impacted by an avian influenza outbreak to recover after the deaths of half a million chickens.
Bird flu outbreak sparks mass cull of farmed chickens
Thousands of birds at an egg farm will be culled after a bird flu outbreak as authorities reveal a child is Australia's first case of a deadly global strain.
Bird flu found in one in five US milk samples: FDA
The United States Food and Drug Administration says one in five commercial milk samples tested across the country contained particles of the avian influenza.
Wider bird flu spread worrying, animal health body says
The head of the World Organisation for Animal Health says it is worrying to see the spread of bird flu to more different species.
Time to stop using ‘long COVID’ – Qld health chief
John Gerrard says 'long COVID' wrongly implies something unique, sinister and exceptional when all viruses have long-term effects.
‘Novel’ claim to have GST money cover Qld debt to NSW
NSW has threatened to withhold funding from Queensland if the state does not pay outstanding bills for COVID-19 hotel quarantine measures.
Palmer claims ‘victory’ in funding COVID vaccine case
Clive Palmer claims to have helped set a precedent against COVID-19 vaccine mandates after a court found emergency service workers were given unlawful orders.
Cambodia reports new bird flu case after boy’s death
Cambodia's Health Ministry says the brother of a boy who died last week from bird flu has tested positive for the virus
Monitor for symptoms as measles spreads to three states
Three states are on high alert for measles after three people with the highly infectious virus visited multiple locations over several days while infected.
First vaccine approved for infectious respiratory virus
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has for the first time approved a vaccine against the highly contagious respiratory syncytial virus.
New COVID-19 variant drives festive season surge
COVID-19 infections have spiked in Australia's two most populous states, with a new variant and Christmas festivities driving higher hospitalisations.
Alert over summer spike in COVID, respiratory illnesses
An '"unusual" spike in respiratory illnesses such as COVID-19 and influenza has prompted a pre-holiday warning from a state's chief health officer.
Festive warning as poll reveals lax COVID-19 attitudes
One in three Australians don't believe keeping up their COVID-19 boosters or measures to curb its spread are important amid an eighth wave, a survey shows.