Bird Flu activity is increasing worldwide. The United States reported its first H5N5 infection in Washington state, while Cambodia confirmed its 18th human H5N1 case of 2025. Northern Indiana remains a significant domestic hotspot, with more than 700,000 poultry losses since October. Europe recorded 51 new commercial outbreaks in a single week, bringing its annual total level with 2024, and East Asia reported additional events in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. Phase 1 data from an intranasal H5N1 vaccine trial showed strong mucosal and systemic immune responses. As expected, expanding outbreaks and human spillover show no sign of easing as we move through the winter season.
Washington Reports First U.S. Human Bird Flu Case Since February — And First-Ever H5N5 Infection
Washington state has reported the first U.S. human bird flu case since February — and the first confirmed human infection with the H5N5 strain. The patient, an older adult with underlying health conditions, has been hospitalized since early November after developing high fever, confusion, and severe respiratory symptoms. State officials say the most likely source of infection was the patient’s backyard flock, which had previous exposure to wild birds. H5N5 is distinct from H5N1, the strain responsible for widespread poultry losses and other U.S. human infections (Dall, 2025). Health authorities say it is too early to know whether this H5N5 case carries broader significance, but note that any human infection provides an opportunity for the virus to mutate — a concern highlighted by prior research showing that even single genetic changes in avian flu viruses can alter host preference. The CDC emphasizes that the public risk remains low, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission for H5N5 or any other avian flu strain in the United States (De Leon, 2025).
Cambodia Reports 18th Human H5N1 Case of 2025, A Fatal Infection
Cambodia has confirmed another human H5N1 case — a 22-year-old man from Phnom Penh who has died from the virus. This marks the country’s 18th human infection this year. Health officials have not yet identified how he was exposed, though recent Cambodian cases continue to involve a reassortant strain (2.3.2.1e) that blends an older, locally circulating clade with the globally dominant 2.3.4.4b lineage. This hybrid strain has been responsible for all of Cambodia’s recent detections and remains a key concern for regional surveillance (Soucheray, 2025a).
Indiana’s Northern Poultry Belt Surpasses 726,000 Bird Losses Since October 9
Indiana’s avian flu outbreak continues to expand across Elkhart and LaGrange counties, with roughly 726,000 birds affected since October 9, according to the latest USDA data (United States Department of Agriculture, n.d.). The largest recent outbreak involved a 48,800-bird poultry operation in Elkhart County. Four more facilities in LaGrange County have also been hit in the past 2 weeks, including a commercial duck breeder with 14,700 birds, as well as farms housing 10,500, 19,500, and 25,600 unspecified birds. LaGrange County has become one of the most active H5N1 hotspots in the country, recording more than 20 recent detections, many in large commercial duck operations (Soucheray, 2025b). Indiana remains the nation’s top duck producer and third-largest egg producer, placing added economic pressure on the state as losses continue to mount (Miller, 2025).
Bird Flu Surpasses 2024 Numbers in Europe
Europe’s bird flu situation continues to worsen, with 51 new H5N1 outbreaks in commercial poultry reported in the week of November 6th alone. The newest outbreaks push the continent’s 2025 total to 450 — already matching last year’s full-year count with roughly six weeks remaining. Germany saw the sharpest rise, adding 26 new farm outbreaks and reaching 100 for the year, while France logged seven more. Smaller clusters were confirmed across the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Poland, Czechia, Sweden, Bulgaria, and Ireland. Notable events included Czechia’s re-emergence after a three-month lull (impacting roughly 105,000 birds), a 40,000-bird turkey outbreak in Hungary, and new detections in Poland’s Masovia region. Europe’s regional spread indicates sustained pressure, with infections showing no sign of stabilizing (Linden, 2025a).
H5N1 Rising Across East Asia
Bird flu is spreading across East Asia, with fresh outbreaks reported in South Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. South Korea has logged six H5N1 poultry outbreaks since mid-September — spanning 135,000 laying hens, 30,000 and 4,000 meat ducks, and an 18,000-bird broiler flock. Japan has also confirmed four major H5N1 outbreaks since the fall, starting with a 452,000-hen facility in Hokkaido and followed by three more large egg farms in Niigata. In total, more than 1.5 million hens have been affected, and 25 infected wild birds have been found in five provinces. Taiwan detected H5N1 at a large quail and layer operation in Pingtung in mid-October, marking its fifth outbreak since summer and adding to earlier events that impacted nearly 482,000 birds in the first half of 2025. In the Philippines, authorities have confirmed two ongoing outbreaks, both in duck farms, ending a months-long lull since April (Linden, 2025b).
Intranasal H5 Vaccine Shows Early Promise in Adults
A phase 1 trial of an intranasal H5N1 vaccine has shown encouraging immune responses in healthy adults, according to Nature Communications. Researchers at the University of Maryland found that the adjuvanted intranasal formulation produced strong mucosal and systemic immunity — including IgA, IgG, and memory responses — and even generated protection before the later intramuscular booster. The vaccine was safe and well tolerated, and its ability to target immunity at the respiratory entry point could make it a useful addition to pandemic preparedness efforts. Researchers noted that broad immune recognition is critical as H5 viruses continue to evolve globally (Van Beusekom, 2025).
Canada Ostriches Executed After 10-Month Legal Battle
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that all 300–330 ostriches at a farm in Edgewood, British Columbia, have now been shot and killed, completing a cull order first issued 10 months ago after a bird flu detection on the property. The farm’s owners had fought the order through multiple courts, arguing the surviving birds showed no symptoms and possessed “herd immunity” valuable for research. Their efforts drew high-profile support: U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged CFIA to reconsider, and Mehmet Oz even offered his ranch to take the birds. Canada’s Supreme Court ultimately declined to hear the final appeal, clearing the way for the cull. By Friday morning, the farm’s holding pens were empty of live animals, with tarped bodies covering the ground. Farm spokespeople described the overnight mass shooting as devastating (ABC News, 2025).
Bird Flu & Thanksgiving Turkey Prices
Nearly two million U.S. turkeys have been culled or died from H5N1 since September, part of more than eight million poultry losses nationwide this fall. Turkeys have been disproportionately affected — roughly one quarter of all recent losses — with Minnesota, the nation’s top turkey producer, hit especially hard as 20 commercial flocks have been infected since early September. Despite the scale of the outbreaks, economists say Thanksgiving turkey prices are unlikely to spike: most holiday birds were already processed and frozen between July and September, and retailers routinely keep prices low to attract shoppers. However, the virus continues to disrupt producers, and its impact on egg supplies — which cannot be stockpiled months in advance — may be more significant through the winter holiday season. The industry remains strained after nearly three years of recurring H5N1 waves, raising fresh concerns about ongoing supply-chain instability heading into 2026 (Bartels, 2025).
References
ABC News. (2025, November 7). Canadian agency says cull over, all ostriches shot dead at British Columbia farm. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/canadian-federal-agency-cull-ostriches-shot-dead-british-127314180
Bartels, M. (2025, November 13). Are Turkeys at Risk of Bird Flu This Thanksgiving? Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/are-turkeys-at-risk-of-bird-flu-this-thanksgiving/
Dall, C. (2025, November 14). Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. CIDRAP. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/preliminary-human-bird-flu-case-reported-washington-state
De Leon, K. (2025, November 21). First human case in US of H5N5 bird flu strain confirmed in Washington resident. Oregonlive. https://www.oregonlive.com/health/2025/11/first-human-case-in-us-of-h5n5-bird-flu-strain-confirmed-in-washington-resident.html
Linden, J. (2025a, November 14). Cases of avian flu continue to rise in Europe’s poultry, wild birds. WATTPoultry.com. https://www.wattagnet.com/poultry-meat/diseases-health/avian-influenza/news/15771874/cases-of-avian-flu-continue-to-rise-in-europes-poultry-wild-birds
Linden, J. (2025b, November 20). Avian flu hits poultry flocks in East Asia. WATTPoultry.com. https://www.wattagnet.com/poultry-meat/diseases-health/avian-influenza/news/15772367/avian-flu-hits-poultry-flocks-in-east-asia
Miller, C. J. (2025, November 13). Nearly 540,000 Birds Impacted by Bird Flu in Northern Indiana Since Oct. 9. Hoosier Ag Today. https://www.hoosieragtoday.com/2025/11/13/bird-flu-update/
Soucheray, S. (2025a, November 17). Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Umn.edu. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/quick-takes-avian-flu-death-cambodia-return-us-fluview
Soucheray, S. (2025b, November 18). Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Umn.edu. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/indiana-tracks-more-avian-flu-outbreaks-poultry
Tan, H. (2023, April 6). Japan is running out of land to bury millions of culled chickens. Business Insider; Insider. https://www.businessinsider.com/bird-flu-japan-running-out-land-bury-chickens-culled-avian-2023-4
The Japan Times. (2025, November 9). Fourth avian flu outbreak this season confirmed in Niigata. The Japan Times. https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2025/11/09/japan/niigata-avian-flu-outbreak/
United States Department of Agriculture. (n.d.). HPAI Confirmations in Commercial and Backyard Flocks. Www.aphis.usda.gov. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/commercial-backyard-flocks
Van Beusekom, M. (2025, November 6). Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. CIDRAP. https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/intranasal-vaccine-against-h5-avian-flu-provokes-broad-immune-response