This is Bird Flu Bulletin: Daily H5N1 Update for Friday, January 9, 2026.
Top stories:
First, global animal outbreaks of highly pathogenic H5N1 remain intense. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization’s latest situation update from late December reports more than 2,500 recent avian influenza outbreaks in animals across 43 countries, over 2,000 of them due to H5N1, underscoring sustained, widespread circulation in birds and some mammals worldwide.
Second, regional data from the Pan American Health Organization show that H5N1 continues to circulate across the Americas, with 75 human infections and two deaths reported since 2022, and more than 5,000 outbreaks in animals in 19 countries. PAHO notes that human cases remain rare and are linked to close contact with infected birds or mammals, but the ecological footprint of the virus has expanded substantially.
Third, concern among scientists is growing. The Global Center for Health Security at the University of Nebraska reports experts warning that the current H5N1 situation is “completely out of control” in wildlife and farm animals and could spark a human pandemic in 2026 if the virus acquires more efficient human-to-human transmission.
Now, today’s numbers:
According to the World Health Organization and regional partners, there have been no newly confirmed human H5N1 cases reported in the last 24 hours. The cumulative global total since 2003 remains just under 1,000 confirmed infections, with a case-fatality rate close to 50 percent. PAHO and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention both report that, in the Americas, the human case count is unchanged since the last update.
On the surveillance front, the CDC’s latest posting in early January 2026 indicates that at least 31,400 people with exposures to infected birds, dairy cattle, or other animals have been monitored, and at least 1,300 have been tested for novel influenza A viruses since the current North American H5N1 wave began in 2024. These monitoring totals are slightly higher than figures published at the end of December, reflecting ongoing follow-up of exposed workers but no jump in severe illness.
New guidance and statements:
PAHO, working with the World Organisation for Animal Health and the FAO, continues to urge countries to strengthen farm and wildlife surveillance, enforce strict biosecurity in poultry and dairy operations, and ensure consistent use of personal protective equipment for workers handling potentially infected animals or raw milk. Health authorities also emphasize early testing of anyone with respiratory, eye, or neurological symptoms after high-risk exposure.
Brief interview snippet:
Host: “Joining us is Dr. Elena Morales, an infectious disease specialist. Dr. Morales, what is your main message today?”
Dr. Morales: “The key point is that H5N1 is still primarily an animal health crisis, but the line between animal and human health is thin. People who work with birds or livestock should use masks, gloves, and eye protection, avoid contact with sick or dead animals, and seek medical care quickly if they develop flu-like symptoms. Vigilant surveillance now is our best chance to prevent wider human spread.”
Looking ahead:
In the next 24 hours, health agencies are expected to release updated situation reports on H5N1 detections in European poultry and in North American wildlife, and laboratories will continue genetic sequencing of recent animal isolates to watch for mutations associated with mammalian adaptation. Experts also anticipate further guidance on occupational protections for farm and processing-plant workers as calving and migration seasons evolve.
Thanks for tuning in to Bird Flu Bulletin: Daily H5N1 Update. Come back next week for more. This has been a Quiet Please production. For me, check out QuietPlease dot A I.
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