Avian influenza cases fall in the EU during the spring Animal health Avian influenza

Avian influenza cases fall in the EU during the spring

Detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) declined in Europe during the spring of 2026 and are expected to remain low over the summer, according to the latest quarterly monitoring report by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), and the EU reference laboratory (EURL). The risk to the general public remains low.

Between 28 February and 4 June 2026, EU Member States reported 186 outbreaks in poultry and captive birds, as well as 763 detections in wild birds. While the number of outbreaks in domestic birds is similar to the same period last year, detections in wild birds were at least three times higher this year, reflecting very high viral circulation in waterfowl.

Scientists also considered the number of HPAI detections in mammals to be low, given the high number of outbreaks during the winter period. Red foxes were the most affected mammal speciesA subdivision of the genus, a species is a group of closely related and similar-looking organisms; for example, in the case of Homo sapiens (humans), the second part of the name (sapiens) represents the species in the EU.

First detections of clade G5.5 H9N2 in poultry

The report also notes Hungary reported low pathogenic avian influenza H9N2 cases in seven poultry farms. While H9N2 detections have previously been reported in the EU, this is the first detection of the specific clade H9N2 G5.5, which has also been responsible for occasional human cases in the Middle East and West Africa. EFSA and ECDC advise Member States to monitor this situation closely.

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