Bird Flu Tracker Avian Influenza A H5N1

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reports highly pathogenic avian influenza detected in a Kent County commercial poultry flock on March 16, marking the second case there since 2022. Officials urge bird owners to boost biosecurity as wild birds migrate, emphasizing indoor housing, handwashing, and equipment disinfection to curb spread from wild birds, gear, or caretakers. The CDC maintains public health risk remains low, advising proper cooking of poultry and eggs.

In brighter news, Georgia is declared bird flu-free after impacting 471,900 birds, though state officials warn farmers of all flock sizes to stay vigilant with biosecurity measures.

On the West Coast, a UC Davis briefing on March 13 notes a small but concerning H5N1 outbreak in California marine mammals—16 northern elephant seals, one southern sea otter, and one sea lion in San Mateo County. Experts like Christine Johnson call it limited so far, with thousands of healthy animals observed, but advise avoiding sick or dead wildlife and keeping pets leashed on beaches to prevent human transmission, which shows no evidence yet.

Internationally, Cambodia confirmed its second human H5N1 case this year in a 45-year-old woman exposed to sick chickens, per Outbreak News Today; she's on Tamiflu with a history of high fatality rates over 40 percent in recent infections.

Research from the University of Georgia reveals over 84 percent of tested black vultures carry H5N1, highlighting risks to scavengers that could amplify spread beyond typical seasons.

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Bird Flu Update: US Poultry Hits Hard as Wild Cases Emerge

In the latest developments on highly pathogenic avian influenza, or H5N1 bird flu, Michigan's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported on March 12 the first detection in a Kent County commercial poultry flock since 2022. State Veterinarian Dr. Nora Wineland urged bird owners to protect flocks from migrating wild birds carrying the virus, emphasizing biosecurity like enclosing outdoor areas and disinfecting gear. The CDC maintains public health risk remains low, with proper cooking of poultry and eggs key to prevention.

Indiana saw eight outbreaks last week in Elkhart, Lagrange, and Jay counties, per USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports cited by CIDRAP, including a major hit to 20,600 turkeys in Jay County. Wisconsin reported two large egg-layer farm losses exceeding 3 million birds in Jefferson and Walworth counties. Over the past 30 days, APHIS confirmed 77 US outbreaks affecting 13.98 million birds across 41 commercial and 36 backyard flocks.

On the wild front, UC Davis researchers updated March 13 that California's H5N1 outbreak in elephant seals at Ano Nuevo State Park has spread to a sea otter and sea lion along the San Mateo coast. The Eurasian strain, with mammal-transmission mutations, killed 47 seals so far, mostly pups, but experts like Christine Johnson express cautious optimism as adult females have mostly departed. Testing continues amid slowed wild bird detections nationwide.

Pennsylvania tallies over 7 million bird deaths in 2026 from farm and wildlife outbreaks, per South Philly Review. Globally, the virus persists in wild populations, but US human cases stay rare at 71 since 2024, with two deaths.

Authorities stress vigilance: report sick birds immediately and follow prevention steps.

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# Bird Flu Outbreak Update

A significant bird flu outbreak continues to spread across the United States, with Pennsylvania emerging as a major hotspot. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, 27 flocks in Pennsylvania have tested positive in 2026, impacting more than 7.6 million birds. Most cases are concentrated in Lancaster County, the center of the state's 7.1 billion dollar poultry industry, with one additional case reported in Dauphin County. Officials say bird deaths have also been reported in Philadelphia and Bucks County as the outbreak expands into southeastern counties.

The CDC reports that since February 2024, there have been 71 confirmed human cases of A(H5) bird flu in the United States, resulting in 2 deaths. Of these cases, 41 were associated with dairy herds, 24 with poultry farms and culling operations, and 3 with other animal exposures. The agency notes the current public health risk remains low, with no person-to-person spread detected at this time.

Beyond Pennsylvania, the outbreak has reached California's northern elephant seal populations. According to researchers at UC Davis, seven weaned northern elephant seal pups tested positive for H5N1 in early March. Scientists had been monitoring closely following a catastrophic 2023 outbreak that devastated southern elephant seal populations in South America. The early detection allowed California State Parks to swiftly close seal-viewing areas and cancel guided tours for the remainder of the season.

The USDA reports that in the past 30 days, avian flu has been confirmed among 67 flocks nationwide, including 36 commercial flocks and 31 backyard flocks, affecting a total of 11.54 million birds. Major commercial operations were hit hard, with a facility in Hyde County, North Carolina reporting 3.2 million affected birds and a facility in Jefferson County, Wisconsin reporting 1.2 million.

According to Penn State Extension experts, the virus is spreading through direct contact with infected birds as well as contaminated equipment and clothing. Cases are increasing during the spring migration of wild birds. Scientists remain concerned that climate change is creating more opportunities for bird flu to spread across species as unpredictable weather and warming winters impact avian behavior and migration patterns.

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Bird flu continues to surge across the US, with the USDA confirming at least 20 new outbreaks on commercial poultry operations in the past week alone, affecting millions of birds in states like Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. The largest hit a North Carolina egg layer facility with 3.2 million birds and a Wisconsin site with 1.2 million, according to USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports. Over the past 30 days, 67 flocks totaling 11.54 million birds have been impacted, including 36 commercial and 31 backyard operations.

In a worrying wildlife development, California officials confirmed the first H5N1 cases in northern elephant seals last week at Ano Nuevo State Park, with seven weaned pups testing positive after showing respiratory and neurological symptoms. At least 30 seals have died amid an uptick in illnesses, prompting park closures and intensified monitoring by UC Davis, UC Santa Cruz, and NOAA, as reported by Inside Climate News and the California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory. Experts fear a repeat of 2023s catastrophic die-offs in South American elephant seal colonies, where thousands perished, though early detection offers hope for containment.

Human cases remain at 71 since 2024, mostly among dairy and poultry workers, with two deaths and no person-to-person spread, per the CDC. Public health risk stays low, but surveillance continues amid global H5N1 activity.

New Jersey Fish and Wildlife noted suspected HPAI die-offs from late February into early March as birds congregate near open water.

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U.S. and global health officials are closely tracking a persistent wave of highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu, which continues to hit poultry, wild birds, and some mammals but still poses a low risk to the general public, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the United States, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service reports that in the past month more than 11 million birds in 67 flocks have been affected, including at least 20 commercial poultry operations across states such as Indiana, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Maryland, Florida, and New York, as summarized by CIDRAP News. Those outbreaks include large egg and broiler facilities, raising concerns about ongoing economic impacts on farmers and potential pressure on egg and poultry prices.

Regionally, concern is especially high in the Northeast and Midwest. A Drexel University public health Q and A notes that Pennsylvania officials recently described the state as being “in crisis mode” and “at the epicenter” of avian influenza, with millions of birds lost, new state funds for culling and recovery, and a push for expanded testing and vaccine development. Drexel experts stress that, while human infections remain rare and usually mild, the virus’s ability to jump into dairy cows and occasionally infect farm workers underscores the need for strict farm biosecurity and avoidance of raw milk.

In New York, WXXI News reports that avian flu activity in wild birds peaked in 2025, with 293 confirmed cases in 35 species, and dozens of additional suspected events so far this year, especially among geese and other waterfowl in the Finger Lakes region. State wildlife officials are urging the public not to handle sick or dead birds and to report clusters to authorities.

Globally, the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health continue to monitor H5N1 detections in birds and marine mammals in Europe, Asia, Africa, and South America. WHO says human cases worldwide remain sporadic, generally linked to close contact with infected animals, and there is still no evidence of sustained person‑to‑person transmission.

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