CDC - Global Summary of Human Cases of H5N1 Bird Flu from August 2025 to June 2026

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Global Summary of Human Cases of H5N1 Bird Flu from August 2025 to June 2026

For Everyone
June 26, 2026

At a glance

• From August 4, 2025 to June 10, 2026, 12 human infections with avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses (H5N1 bird flu) were reported by three countries outside of the United States. Three of these infections resulted in death.
• The 12 cases were reported by Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India. The three deaths were in Bangladesh (1) and Cambodia (2).
• No person-to-person spread was identified in any of these cases, and their occurrence is not thought to change the health risk of H5N1 bird flu to the U.S. public, which remains low at this time.
• Due to widespread global H5N1 bird flu detections in wild birds and outbreaks in poultry, sporadic human infections with A(H5N1) viruses are not surprising in people with direct or close contact with sick or dead poultry or other infected animals, but they do underscore the importance of continued surveillance.

Overview


There are many different subtypes of avian influenza (bird flu) viruses; A(H5N1) viruses have accounted for most human cases reported globally since 1997. This report focuses on human cases of H5N1 bird flu reported internationally since August 4, 2025, when CDC last published a summary of human infections with avian influenza A(H5N1) viruses (H5N1 bird flu) reported internationally.

Since August 2025, there have been an additional 12 cases of H5N1 bird flu reported internationally. These A(H5N1) virus infections occurred in three countries: Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India. As of June 10, 2026, 1,022 cases have now been reported worldwide since 1997. Most A(H5N1) virus infections in other countries have been associated with a different clade (i.e., genetic grouping) of A(H5N1) viruses than cases reported in the United States, and generally have a high mortality rate. International cases have mostly occurred after direct or close exposure to infected sick or dead poultry.

Five subtypes of bird flu viruses are known to have infected people. These are called A(H5), A(H6), A(H7), A(H9), and A(H10) viruses. Among these, A(H5), A(H7) and A(H9) viruses have caused the most human infections.

Summary of H5N1 bird flu human cases

Bangladesh


Three human bird flu cases with A(H5N1) virus infection (clade 2.3.2.1a) were reported to have occurred in Bangladesh since August 2025. The first infection was reported in mid-August 2025, in a child whose family purchased chickens from a local market before the child got sick. The second case, reported in February of 2026, was fatal. This case was in a child who had been exposed to sick poultry. Bangladesh reported a third H5N1 bird flu case in a child in April 2026. Investigations found the child had been exposed to household poultry.

Cambodia


Cambodia has reported eight human infections with A(H5N1) viruses since CDC's August 2025 summary. Four of these cases occurred in 2025, and four in 2026. All the infections happened after exposure to sick or dead domestic birds directly, or to their environments. Among the viruses for which that information is available, the cases were associated with clade 2.3.2.1e viruses. This clade is similar to viruses that have circulated in Cambodia since 2023.

2025 human H5N1 bird flu cases

• Child – Symptom onset: July
• Child – Symptom onset: September
• Child – Symptom onset: October
• Adult – Symptom onset and death: November

2026 human H5N1 bird flu cases

• Adult – Symptom onset: February
• Adult – Symptom onset: March
• Child – Symptom onset: March
• Adult – Symptom onset and death: April

India


India has reported one human case of H5N1 bird flu since CDC's August 2025 summary. This infection occurred in a child in March. Genetic sequencing indicated that the virus associated with this infection was clade 2.3.2.1a. This is closely related to viruses previously reported by India and Bangladesh in 2025. Backyard poultry in the village with two isolated poultry deaths suggests a possible environmental exposure.

Conclusion


While rare, these H5N1 bird flu cases in humans underscore the need for strong systems to monitor and prepare for influenza, including robust surveillance and testing, to understand which influenza viruses are circulating and their effect on human health. This is critical for pandemic preparedness and for protecting Americans at home and abroad.
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https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/global-summary-06262026.html

 

[Commonground]

A(H5) Bird Flu Surveillance and Human Monitoring

​Situation through June 27, 2026

AT A GLANCE
CDC influenza (flu) surveillance systems currently show no indicators of unusual influenza activity in people, including avian influenza A(H5).​

Overview
A(H5) Bird Flu Surveillance in U.S.


On July 7, 2025, CDC streamlined A(H5) bird flu updates with routine influenza data updates and updated reporting cadences to reflect the current public health situation. As such, several changes were made to this page:

• Data on the number of people monitored and tested for bird flu, as well as animal and epidemiologically linked human cases are reported monthly.
• Data that are reported in CDC's FluView, National Wastewater Surveillance System (NWSS), and The National Syndromic Surveillance Program (NSSP) will not be updated here but can be found on those respective webpages.

CDC uses multiple systems to monitor national, state, and local level influenza data during the current avian influenza A(H5) situation.

• Influenza virus and illness activity are monitored year-round through a collaborative effort between CDC and many partners, including state, local, and territorial health departments; public health and clinical laboratories; clinics; and emergency departments.
• Human cases of novel influenza, which are human infections with non-human influenza A viruses that are different from currently spreading seasonal human influenza viruses, are nationally notifiable. Every identified case is investigated and reported to CDC.
• CDC is actively looking at multiple flu indicators during the current situation to monitor for influenza A(H5) viruses, including looking for spread of the virus to, or among people, in jurisdictions where the virus has been identified in people or animals. More information is available: FluView.

Monitoring of Persons Exposed to Infected Animals*
Note: Monitoring data of persons exposed to infected animals will be updated on the first Friday of every month.​


*CDC numbers are based on weekly state aggregate reports since 2022. CDC defers to states for updated information on people being monitored and tested.

Monitoring for Novel Influenza A virus infections among people, including Influenza A(H5)
Note: Animal and epidemiologically linked human cases will be updated on the first Friday of every month. Data presented through: 6/27/2026; Data as of: 7/1/2026

Influenza A(H5) virus infections in humans exposed to affected animals by state
Select the animal type below to filter the map:​

continued: https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html
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[sharon sanders]

The US H5N1 human surveillance program is the seasonal flu surveillance program. It has not detected any human H5N1 cases ytd in 2026. link

The number of livestock farms reported infected so far in 2026 is about 72. link

In addition, there have been many millions of poultry infected/culled so far this year, including some live bird markets. link

What is the probability?