Overview

• The highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza is now present in all 50 U.S. states and Canada, affecting over 1,000 dairy herds and leading to the culling of 168 million poultry since 2022.
• Seventy human infections, including one fatality in Louisiana, have been reported, primarily among individuals with direct contact with infected animals.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention assesses the current public health risk as low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission documented to date.
• Virologists warn that mutations or reassortment events could increase transmissibility, emphasizing the need for enhanced surveillance and rapid vaccine development.
• The Global Virus Network calls for stricter biosecurity measures, improved testing, and coordinated global efforts to mitigate the risk of a potential pandemic.