Kansas emerged as the primary U.S. avian influenza hotspot this period, driven by multiple commercial outbreaks that together pushed bird losses above 400,000. The 2026 season also opened with new detections in California and North Carolina, reinforcing continued pressure on domestic poultry operations. In the eastern U.S., Delaware and Georgia also experienced major outbreaks. Internationally, renewed H5N1 activity in Scotland and Belgium added to ongoing pressure across Europe, while South Korea escalated biosecurity measures amid rising cases. Israel also confirmed its first poultry outbreak in a year.
Kansas Propels to Top U.S. HPAI Hotspot
Kansas has become the leading U.S. avian influenza hotspot over the past 30 days, following a major January 6 outbreak in Pottawatomie County that affected roughly 380,000 table egg pullets. The surge followed two earlier commercial poultry outbreaks in eastern Kansas, which involved about 15,700 birds in Anderson County and 4,600 birds in Nemaha County (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.). Together, the recent outbreaks amount to over 400,000 birds and have pushed Kansas to the highest bird-loss total nationwide over a 30-day period. In response, the affected flocks were culled and precautionary closures at nearby animal facilities, such as the county zoo, were enacted to limit potential spread (Daniels & Valdez, 2026).
U.S. Bird Flu Kicks Off 2026 in North Carolina and California
The 2026 U.S. avian influenza season opened with confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza detections in California and North Carolina, signaling the continuation of heavy commercial poultry losses. On January 2, the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed HPAI in a commercial gamebird operation in Butte County, California, affecting approximately 34,600 birds raised for release, representing the state’s first commercial detection since October 2025 (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.). On the same day, North Carolina reported HPAI in a commercial meat turkey flock of about 14,000 birds in Sampson County (Graber, 2026a). Just five days later, the virus was confirmed again in the same North Carolina county, this time in a commercial turkey breeder operation involving roughly 20,200 birds (Graber, 2026b).
Nearly 220,000 Birds Affected as HPAI Hits Delaware and Georgia
The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza in two major commercial poultry operations on January 13, underscoring a widening H5N1 footprint in the eastern U.S. In Delaware, APHIS confirmed HPAI in a commercial broiler flock of 147,900 birds in Kent County, following a presumed positive reported by the Delaware Department of Agriculture on January 10 (Graber, 2026d). The case marks Delaware’s first confirmed commercial poultry outbreak since January 29, 2025 (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.). On the same day, Georgia confirmed HPAI in a commercial broiler breeder operation involving 71,300 birds in Walker County, representing the state’s first detection since October 24, 2025. Georgia had three commercial flocks struck by HPAI in 2025, and prior to that had largely avoided the virus in its commercial poultry sector (Graber, 2026c).
H5N1 Hits Scotland’s Largest Egg Producer
An outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed at Glenrath Farms, Scotland’s largest egg producer, after H5N1 was detected at its Millennium Farm site near West Linton, south of Edinburgh. The outbreak prompted the culling of about 200,000 birds and follows a previous detection at the same operation less than a month ago. It is the fourth confirmed HPAI case since mid-December in this corridor between Peebles (in the Borders) and Penicuik (in Midlothian), an area that has seen repeated incursions this winter. Authorities imposed a 3-kilometer protection zone and a 10-kilometer surveillance zone around the affected premises (Wild, 2026).
Belgium Orders Culling of 55,000 Chickens After H5N1 Detection
Belgium will cull around 55,000 chickens after highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza was detected at a poultry operation in the country’s western region near the French border, according to a January 9 statement from AFSCA, the federal agency responsible for food safety and animal health. Authorities said newly established protection and surveillance zones largely overlap with areas created after an outbreak last month, with some zones extending into France. The detection comes amid continued elevated avian influenza activity across Europe, where the European Food Safety Authority has warned of an intense wave driven by widespread circulation in wild birds (Reuters Staff, 2026b).
South Korea Announces Special Quarantine Measures as HPAI Cases Rise
South Korea will implement enhanced quarantine measures in January after confirming 32 highly pathogenic avian influenza cases at poultry farms and 22 detections in wild birds since the start of the cold season in late fall, according to the Central Disaster Management Headquarters. The latest farm outbreak was identified on January 5 in Iksan, North Jeolla Province, prompting access restrictions, epidemiological investigations, and emergency containment. Officials reported the simultaneous circulation of three avian influenza strains—H5N1, H5N6, and H5N9—for the first time in the country’s history, noting that the H5N1 strain appears significantly more infectious than in past seasons. In response, authorities will conduct intensive inspections at 539 large layer farms nationwide, expand disinfection near migratory bird habitats, and increase random checks of vehicles entering poultry facilities (Yonhap, 2026).
Israel Reports First H5N1 Poultry Outbreak in a Year
Israel reported its first highly pathogenic avian influenza outbreak in a year after H5N1 was detected at a duck farm in the country’s north, according to the World Organisation for Animal Health. The outbreak occurred in a flock of about 2,000 ducks in the village of Sde Yaakov, where 90 birds died and the remaining animals were culled as a precaution, Israeli authorities reported. The detection follows a year without confirmed cases in Israel and adds to continued global H5N1 activity affecting poultry production (Reuters Staff, 2026a).
References
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