H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak: 11 Million Birds Affected in US, Low Public Risk Says CDC and USDA

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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