Category: Avian Influenza
Two years after it emerged, ‘cow flu’ is still circulating—and baffling scientists
Science Researchers still aren’t sure how H5N1 influenza spreads between cows and from farm to farm. After 2 years, the U.S. outbreak of the H5N1 influenza virus in cattle appears to be waning, easing fears that the virus could cause long-lasting damage to the dairy industry or mutate into a form that could cause a […]
Apr 8, 2026
U.S. facing largest outbreak of bird flu in its history, including backyard flocks in Kentucky
NPR The U.S. is facing the largest outbreak of bird flu in its history. As birds migrate this spring, the virus can spread along major flyways through droppings, contaminated water, or direct contact, infecting backyard flocks, pet birds, and commercial poultry. Anyone who raises birds should understand the risks and how to protect their poultry. Dr. Chelsey Shivley, is a […]
Apr 8, 2026
Studying How Bird Flu Spreads Through the Air
Respiratory Therapy University of Michigan researchers are leading a project to discover how the bird flu virus degrades in the air and how engineering solutions can mitigate its spread. The $2 million grant from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service aims to answer fundamental questions about how long the virus remains […]
Apr 8, 2026
The Hamptons Has a Bird Flu Problem
NYT This winter, hundreds of dead geese fell around Georgica Pond. No one knew how to dispose of the infected bodies, so a local landscaper just winged it. Georgica Pond is the brackish coastal pond in East Hampton, Long Island, around which sit the summer homes of the filmmaker Steven Spielberg and the hip-hop mogul […]
Apr 8, 2026
Deadly virus first detected in Bay Area park found in Central California
SF Gate A strain of the deadly avian flu detected in Ano Nuevo State Park last month, with cases confirmed in California marine mammals for the first time ever, has been documented in another new county hundreds of miles south of the initial outbreak. On Thursday, UC Davis’ Institute for Pandemic Insights reported a case of HPAI H5N1 was confirmed in a dead […]
Apr 1, 2026
First European case of H9N2 bird flu reported in Italy – what you need to know
The Conversation The first human case of H9N2 influenza virus (bird flu) has been reported in Europe. A human infection was recorded by the Italian Ministry of Health on March 25, 2026. As an influenza virologist, I can explain what this means and why I am not particularly worried by it – yet. What do we know […]
Apr 1, 2026
Cambodia reports child infected with H5N1 avian influenza
Vietnam News According to a press release issued by the ministry, the child tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus on March 29, after laboratory testing conducted by the National Institute of Public Health. The patient lives in Thnob Thmei village, Beng commune, Banteay Ampil district. Authorities reported that chickens and ducks in the […]
Apr 1, 2026
First Human Case of Bird Flu Imported in EU
European Medical Journal THE FIRST human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) infection has been reported in Italy. Notification of the infection in the Lombardy Region marks the first human case reported in Europe. Italy’s Ministry of Health confirmed on Wednesday that the infected person came from a non-European country where he contracted the low-pathogenicity avian influenza A(H9N2) virus of […]
Apr 1, 2026
H9N2 Bird Flu Hits Europe as First Human Case Confirmed in Italy
Science Alert The first human case of H9N2 influenza virus (bird flu) has been reported in Europe. A human infection was recorded by the Italian Ministry of Health on March 25, 2026. As an influenza virologist, I can explain what this means and why I am not particularly worried by it – yet. What do we know about this case? The […]
Apr 1, 2026
Could bird flu still spark a pandemic?
Science Friday Bird flu has flown off the national news radar, with only scattered, local reports of dead birds in parks and poultry farms. Is it simply no longer a concern, or have cuts to federal science funding disrupted monitoring for this disease? Airborne pathogens expert Seema Lakdawala gives a flyover view on where bird […]
Mar 25, 2026