Bird flu continues to surge across the United States and globally as we head into the winter months. Over 90 new detections have been reported in the past month alone, prompting U.S. lawmakers to push for stronger avian influenza surveillance.

The situation has become increasingly serious on the human front. Washington state recently confirmed the first recorded human death from the H5N5 strain of bird flu in the world, marking the second avian flu death in the United States this year. This death followed an earlier fatality in Louisiana from H5N1 in January. In 2025 specifically, three cases have occurred in the United States and one in Mexico, with additional zoonotic influenza infections including one human case of A(H5N2) in Mexico.

The virus has spread to all 50 states, with highly pathogenic avian influenza identified on more than 1700 premises since February 2022. Wild birds infected with the virus have been found from coast to coast, including waterfowl and raptors. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced a new mandate to test the national milk supply for bird flu beginning December 16th, initially targeting six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Pennsylvania, and Oregon.

Internationally, the outbreak is equally alarming. Between early September and mid-November, 1,443 cases of bird flu were detected in wild birds across 26 European countries, representing a fourfold increase compared to previous periods. Germany alone has seen an estimated 2,000 cranes die from bird flu, with the Friedrich Loeffler Institute registering over 103 outbreaks, including 30 among poultry battery farms.

In the Americas beyond the United States, H5N1 outbreaks are surging. October 2025 saw a huge rise in avian flu cases in waterfowl, prompting increased risk assessments heading into winter. Experts warn that seasonal flu season increases the bird flu threat to humans, as infected individuals could potentially serve as intermediary hosts for multiple flu strains.

Public health officials emphasize that while recent human infections are concerning, they typically occur in people with occupational or recreational exposures involving prolonged, unprotected close contact with infected birds or animals. However, authorities continue monitoring the situation closely as winter approaches, a traditionally high-risk period for avian influenza transmission.

Thank you for tuning in to this bird flu update. Be sure to come back next week for more news and information. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out Quiet Please dot A I.

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