This is Bird Flu Update: US H5N1 News Now, your trusted source for the latest on the H5N1 bird flu situation in the United States. I’m your host, and here’s a complete roundup as of November 8, 2025.
In the past week, state and federal agencies have continued recording new cases of H5N1 across both animals and humans in the US. According to the CDC, the cumulative number of confirmed human H5N1 cases now stands at 70 since last year, with exposures tied predominantly to dairy cattle and poultry operations. California leads all states with 38 confirmed human cases, most of which are linked directly to dairy herds. Colorado and Washington have also seen significant case numbers. The only reported human death, to date, occurred in Louisiana this past summer, and so far, there’s still no evidence of person-to-person spread in the US, according to both the CDC and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Library.
Recent animal detections remain widespread. The USDA has confirmed ongoing outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry, as well as wild birds, across 51 jurisdictions. Over 13,000 wild birds and more than 90 million farmed birds have been affected nationwide since the start of the current outbreak. California’s Department of Food and Agriculture reported on November 4 that highly pathogenic avian influenza was detected in a backyard flock in Sonoma County, indicating community-level persistence of the virus. On the commercial side, 989 dairy herds in 17 states have confirmed H5N1 infections to date, with special ongoing concern in California and Washington, where quarantines and enhanced surveillance measures remain in effect.
Guidance from federal authorities continues to evolve. Last week, the CDC updated its surveillance strategies for the 2024-2025 influenza season, increasing testing of people exposed to infected animals and recommending heightened vigilance among healthcare workers and agricultural employees. The California Department of Food and Agriculture is maintaining a ban on all poultry and dairy cattle exhibitions at fairs and shows across the state, with released herds moved to strict bi-monthly monitoring to prevent virus resurgence.
While there’s reassurance for the general public, who remain at low risk, anyone working with poultry, dairy cattle, or wild birds should continue following strict biosecurity guidance. This means wearing protective equipment, reporting sick animals promptly, and minimizing contact with potentially infected surfaces. There is, as yet, no sign of sustained human-to-human transmission in the US, but the CDC characterizes the risk for those working closely with animals as moderate to high.
On the research front, the CDC and academic partners continue to analyze genetic sequencing data, with recent findings confirming that most US H5N1 viruses remain closely related to earlier clade 2.3.4.4 strains, though surveillance continues for any significant changes. In a notable update, a new H5N9 strain was identified in ducks in California, but public health officials stress that this variant poses no additional risk to humans at this stage.
Comparing the current situation to previous weeks, bird flu activity remains elevated in both animals and people, but public health risk to most Americans is staying low. Agricultural and health agencies are keeping movement restrictions and enhanced testing in place, and continued outbreaks highlight the need for vigilance as we enter peak migratory bird and holiday seasons, especially with millions of turkeys affected ahead of Thanksgiving.
That’s your Bird Flu Update: US H5N1 News Now. Thank you for tuning in. Be sure to come back next week for the latest developments. This has been a Quiet Please production, and for more, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.
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