Follow basic hygiene, get your flu shot and keep your cats indoors is the advice from authorities about the highly contagious strain of avian flu, known as bird flu, on Australian shores.
While milder strains have appeared in Australia before, this new H5N1 strain is significantly worse for birds and animals, putting pets at risk.
H5N1 bird flu was first detected on Australia's southern coastline in seabirds in June.
Professor Robyn Alders from ANU's Crawford School told The Senior all states and territories besides the Northern Territory have now been affected by wildlife cases.
The situation has been notably worse in coastal areas and wetlands which are "resting places" for migratory birds, she said.
On August 19, a fur seal on South Australia's south east coast was confirmed dead from bird flu, the first confirmed H5N1 death in a wild mammals on mainland Australia
According to the Department of Agriculture, there have been 309 cases in wildlife as of August 23.
There were 194 cases in South Australia, 86 in Victoria, 11 in NSW, 10 in Western Australia, seven in Tasmania and one in Queensland.
What is H5N1?
Alders said H5N1 is "different to other bird flus that we have known".
Bird flu is a type of virus that mainly affects birds. It can also affect other animals and, on rare occasions, humans.
Infected birds can spread the virus through body fluids, droppings and feathers.
"In the past, our bird flus have predominantly impacted domestic poultry, particularly chickens," Alders said.
Overseas, this strain has been detected in domestic pets including cats and dogs, farm animals (dairy cows, pigs, sheep and goats), marine mammals (dolphins and seals) and wild animals including foxes and polar bears.
Can humans die from it?
The short answer is yes.
Although the Australian Centre for Disease Control says human deaths are rare Alders said the virus is impacting humans with children particularly vulnerable.
Symptoms in humans include fever, cough or sore throat, conjunctivitis, muscle aches, fatigue and headaches.
Serious complications from bird flu include pneumonia, acute respiratory distress, brain inflammation and sepsis.
People can become infected if they touch an infected animal, its body fluids or something contaminated with the virus and then touch their eyes, nose or mouth.
Infection can also occur by breathing in contaminated dust or air.
Should you be worried?
Australians should be careful, not worried, is the general advice.
Alders recommended following basic hygiene, such as regularly washing your hands, and getting your annual flu vaccine.
"It won't necessarily stop you getting impacted by this current strain, but what it does is reduce the risk that the human flu virus could mix with the bird flu virus to form a new virus that could then be transmitted between people," she said.
"So this is about risk mitigation."
The virus can spread through contaminated clothing and shoes so the advice is to wash shoes regularly especially when working through areas with wildlife.
Importantly, save the Emergency Animal Disease Hotline number in your phone and report any suspected incidents of bird flu, Alders said.
What's the advice for pets?
RSPCA South Australia chief executive Marcus Gehrig said the strain was presenting a "serious challenge" for animal welfare, but noted there were "practical steps" to take to protect pets.
Cats are more vulnerable than dogs and he recommended keeping cats inside.
If they do spend time outside use a secure outdoor enclosure that prevents contact with wild birds, he said.
Alders said in the US, where infection occurred, there was a 50 per cent mortality rate for cats.
"Cats are scavengers, you don't want them out there feeding on potentially infected carcasses," she said.
"I'm not saying that all cats across Australia need to be kept inside, but if you're in an area where bird flu has been detected, if you're in an area where you frequently see migratory birds passing through, I would be keeping my cat inside."
For dogs, Gehrig said always have them on a leash, and keep dogs away from sick or dead birds.