Category: Avian Influenza
Poultry farms need an avian flu emergency preparedness plan
Watt Poultry Commercial poultry operations should have an avian influenza emergency preparedness plan as a tool to protect the health and safety of workers, veterinarians and anyone else who comes into contact with poultry. Matthew Spencer, U.S. Poultry & Egg Association vice president of HR and safety programs, highlighted basic requirements of such an emergency preparedness plan during the […]
Jan 14, 2026
The expanding H5N1 avian influenza panzootic causes high mortality of skuas in Antarctica
Nature High pathogenicity avian influenza virus H5N1 subtype (H5N1 HPAIV), clade 2.3.4.4b, is expanding its host and geographical range, and invaded Antarctica in 2023. Although mortality in Antarctic wildlife from H5N1 HPAIV has been suspected, mainly based on virological analysis of swabs collected from dead animals, it has not been unequivocally diagnosed. Here we show […]
Jan 14, 2026
The role of wild birds in the global highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 panzootic, 2020–2023
Nature The emergence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b has triggered an unprecedented global panzootic in recent years. As the frequency and scale of HPAI H5 outbreaks continue to rise, understanding how wild birds contribute to shape the global virus spread across regions—affecting poultry, domestic and wild mammals—is increasingly critical. In this […]
Jan 7, 2026
‘It’s completely out of control’: Scientists warn bird flu could spark a human pandemic in 2026
Science Focus Bird flu has been rampaging through wildlife and farm animals worldwide. Will it make the long-feared jump to people? When a highly pathogenic strain of bird flu strain of avian influenza (H5N1) began sweeping across wild birds and poultry in 2020, it already looked concerning. Five years on, the picture has grown darker […]
Jan 7, 2026
Top US Egg Producer Says Bird Flu Still ‘Extremely Strong’
Bloomberg Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the biggest egg producer in the US, said bird flu still has an “extremely strong” presence, having last year decimated US poultry flocks and sent egg prices soaring to records. Nearly 500 outbreaks in poultry were reported across 26 countries in October and November last year, according to the World Organisation for […]
Jan 7, 2026
How A Bird Flu Outbreak Wiped Out A Generation Of Seals In Patagonia—And What It Means For Wildlife Conservation – Analysis
Eurasia Review An unprecedented avian flu outbreak in Argentine Patagonia devastated a stable elephant seal colony, highlighting the rising threat of infectious disease to wildlife in a warming world. In the spring of 2023, we returned to Península Valdés, a rugged coastal region in Argentine Patagonia, expecting to witness the familiar sights and sounds of […]
Jan 7, 2026
Massachusetts officials announce detection of Avian Influenza
WJAR News The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources announced a highly pathogenic Avian Influenza was detected in a domestic flock of chickens. Officials said the agency safely depopulated and disposed of a backyard flock of chickens in Dukes County. According to officials, the birds exhibited signs consistent with Avian Influenza and tested positive for the […]
Jan 7, 2026
Indian scientists predict how bird flu could spread to humans
BBC For years, scientists have warned that bird flu – better known as H5N1 – could one day make the dangerous leap from birds to humans and trigger a global health crisis. Avian flu – a type of influenza – is entrenched across South and South-East Asia and has occasionally infected humans since emerging in […]
Dec 30, 2025
Europe ends 2025 with more than 700 avian flu outbreaks
Watt Poultry To date in 2025, a total of 699 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been recorded in commercial poultry farms in 23 European countries. This is according to the Animal Disease Information System from the European Commission (EC; as of December 24). This database monitors outbreaks of listed animal diseases in European Union member states […]
Dec 30, 2025
A dozen swans have died at Lake Eola in the past week, leaving Orlando officials fearing another outbreak of bird flu at the city’s signature park.
Ohio News City Commissioner Patty Sheehan posted on Facebook that two dead swans were found on Dec. 23, with the number growing to 12 by Sunday. Due to the holidays the city’s specialized veterinarians weren’t available, Sheehan said, but the deceased swans are being stored in a secure area so necropsies can be performed. Prior […]
Dec 30, 2025