The CFIA also estimated that 17.21 million birds have been affected by avian influenza since December 2021.

• Alberta’s chief provincial veterinarian reported last month that a dog in the central part of the province died from bird flu in November 2025, after the animal ingested an infected snow goose. The 10-year-old goldendoodle also had an immune disease which may have contributed to its death. It was the second canine death from bird flu reported in Canada since another dog died in Ontario in 2023.
• The United States Department of Agriculture reported on Dec. 19 that a case of bird flu in a Wisconsin dairy herd marked a new spillover event from wildlife to cattle. The virus, identified as H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b genotype D1.1., was confirmed through whole genome sequencing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories on Dec. 17. Two other spillovers were detected in Nevada and Arizona in 2025.
• The European Food Safety Authority in its quarterly report released on Dec. 11 said that between Sept. 6 and Nov. 28, 2025, 2,896 bird flu infections were reported in 29 European countries, with 442 in poultry and 2,454 in wild birds. The number of wild birds infected reached was at its largest since 2016, while poultry infections remained steady compared to last year.
• Israel reported its first bird flu case in a year at a farm in the north of the country, reported the World Organization for Animal Health on Jan. 6. Ninety birds died in a flock of 2,000 ducks. The remaining birds were culled out of precaution.
• The WOAH also reported on Jan. 5 that 11 outbreaks were detected in the state of Kerala in southern India last month. More than 54,000 birds died from the virus, while another 30,000 birds were culled. They were the first outbreaks reported among poultry since May.
• A study published in the journal Science earlier this month found that bird flu can resist fever defences in mice, which means that unlike cold and flu viruses, bird flu could further replicate in an already infected person. However, researchers warned that while the virus could make humans sicker, it does not increase the chances of a human pandemic.​

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The virus, identified as H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b genotype D1.1., was confirmed through whole genome sequencing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories on December 17, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service said in a statement.

It said most detections of highly pathogenic avian influenza in U.S. dairy herds have resulted from movements linked to an original spillover event that occurred in Texas in late 2023, involving the B3.13 strain.

Earlier this year, two isolated spillovers were detected in Nevada and Arizona, involving the D1.1 strain.

The Wisconsin case, detected under USDA’s National Milk Testing Strategy, has not led to additional herd infections, APHIS said.

USDA said the findings do not pose a risk to consumer health or the commercial milk supply, as pasteurization kills the virus and milk from affected animals is diverted or destroyed.

It added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to consider the risk to the public to be low.

USDA urged dairy producers to maintain strict biosecurity and report any livestock showing clinical signs or unusual wildlife deaths.

A bipartisan group of U.S. senators last week urged the administration of President Donald Trump to finalize a science-based plan for developing a bird flu vaccine for livestock, according to a letter seen by Reuters.

— Reporting by Anjana Anil in Bengaluru

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The U.S. Department of Agriculture said in June that it was developing a potential poultry vaccination plan, but has not released further details.

WHY IT MATTERS: More than 180 million chickens, turkeys and other poultry have been killed in the U.S. due to an outbreak of bird flu that began in 2022. Canadian farmers have also faced devastating culls.

The USDA should take “renewed action” to fight bird flu as infections rise during the winter months, said 23 U.S. senators in a letter sent on Wednesday to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and reported first by Reuters.

“Any finalized vaccine strategy must take into account feedback from animal health stakeholders, industry experts, and be grounded in sound science,” said the letter, led by Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, the top Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, and Republican U.S. Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota.

Other signatories to the letter include Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota and several Republican and Democratic members of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

Funds pledged for vaccine, therapeutics research

In March, the USDA pledged $100 million to research vaccines and therapeutics for egg-laying chickens as part of a broader strategy to fight bird flu, which had driven egg prices to record highs.

The agency said in June it had received 417 proposals for the funds, but has not announced further details.

The Trump administration in May canceled a $700 million contract with Moderna to develop a human bird flu vaccine. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime anti-vaccine activist, has cut other funding for vaccine research and scrapped long-held federal vaccine guidance.

The poultry industry is divided on vaccination because of the potential to hurt exports. The senators urged Rollins in their letter to “work closely with trading partners and impacted producers to fully assess and manage any potential trade implications” of a vaccine plan.

The USDA told Reuters in late November that the agency had not shared a plan for poultry vaccination with trading partners.

— Additional reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago

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WHY IT MATTERS: Highly pathogenic avian influenza has led to the culling of hundreds of millions of farmed birds in recent years — including among many Canadian farms — disrupting food supplies and increasing prices.

Outbreaks typically peak in autumn as migratory birds head south, but this season saw earlier cases, killing many wild birds, mainly common cranes along the German, French, and Spanish routes as well as a large number of waterfowl.

Between September 6 and November 28, 2,896 highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus detections – mostly H5N1 – were reported in domestic birds in 29 countries in Europe, with 442 in poultry and 2,454 in wild birds, EFSA said in a report.

“We are currently seeing an unprecedented sharp increase in the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus detections, mostly in wild birds,” Lisa Kohnle, scientific officer at EFSA, told Reuters.

Poultry outbreak numbers were similar to previous years but five times higher than in 2023, and almost double those of 2021. Turkeys were the most affected.

“What is interesting for poultry is that in previous years those epidemics were characterised by a lot of farm-to-farm spread,” Kohnle said. “This year it seems we mostly have introduction from wild birds”.

For humans, bird flu infected 19 people in four countries (Cambodia, China, Mexico and the U.S.), killing one in Cambodia and one in the U.S, EFSA said. All cases involved exposure to poultry or poultry environments.

Bird flu outbreaks in mammals were fewer than in 2022 and 2023, but remain a concern due to potential mutations that would make it transmissible between humans.

Kohnle said detections were likely to keep rising, although high wild bird mortality could prompt tighter farm controls and help slow the virus’s spread.

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The highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has led to the culling of hundreds of millions of farmed birds in the past few years, disrupting food supplies and driving up prices. Human infections remain rare.

While outbreaks typically spike in the northern hemisphere autumn as migratory birds fly south, they appeared earlier and in greater numbers in Europe and the U.S., affecting both wild birds and poultry.

More outbreaks than previous seasons

In the U.S., 107 outbreaks were reported by November 18, nearly four times last year’s total. Minnesota, the country’s largest turkey producing state, confirmed its first case two months earlier than in 2022.

“It’s certainly more than we’ve seen over the last few winter-fall migratory bird seasons,” said Tim Boring, director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Michigan, another large turkey state.

“I think it’s part of this ongoing pattern… we’re still well within this current outbreak that’s lasted several years now,” he said.

The U.S. has already culled about 8 million birds since September, a slight increase from last year, government data showed.

Canada, which has a smaller poultry flock than the U.S., has also culled nearly 8 million birds. Canadian Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald said the bird flu situation was getting “very worrisome”.

“Wild birds seem to be carrying more of this disease. So it’s scary in some ways,” he told Reuters.

The World Organization for Animal Health said the early outbreaks were concerning but not alarming.

“There should not be a public health alarm. An increase in number of cases could have different explanations. What we need to observe is the actual virus itself,” said Gregorio Torres, head of WOAH’s scientific department.

Different wild birds affected

In Europe, the situation was also more severe than last year, with Germany recording the highest number of outbreaks in three years.

Between early September and mid-November, 1,443 cases of bird flu were detected in wild birds in 26 European countries – a fourfold increase compared with the same period in 2024 and the highest since 2016, the European food safety agency EFSA said.

“What’s new this season? It’s not exactly the same birds that are being affected. This time, we’ve seen contamination occur earlier among wild birds, and now we’re starting to detect cases that are spreading to farmed birds,” French health security agency ANSES Deputy Director General Gilles Salvat told reporters on Thursday.

Salvat pointed to common cranes – which typically migrate earlier than waterfowl species such as ducks, geese and swans – as a major factor behind the outbreak, which spread from northeast to southwest Europe, with high fatalities in Germany and France.

France put its poultry sector on high alert in October, much earlier than in previous years.

The situation was more normal in most of Asia except for Cambodia, which has seen severe bird flu outbreaks, while Japan reported its first case on October 22 – five days later than last year. About 1.65 million birds have been culled so far in Japan.

— Additional reporting by Tom Polansek in Chicago, Leah Douglas in Washington, Ed White in Winnipeg, Peter Hobson in Canberra, Michael Hogan in Hamburg, Emma Pinedo in Madrid, Yuka Obayashi in Tokyo.

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The deceased, a resident of Grays Harbor County, was an older adult with underlying health conditions, the department said in a statement released late on Friday, adding the person owned a backyard flock of mixed domestic birds.

WHY IT MATTERS: Avian influenza has been devastating to Canadian poultry farmers and has led to human illness and death—though recent human cases have been the H5N1 strain.

The department found the avian flu in the flock’s environment, pointing to domestic poultry or wild birds as the likely source of exposure.

It said that the risk to the general public remains low, and no other individuals involved in the case have tested positive for avian influenza, commonly called bird flu.

“Public health officials will continue to monitor anyone who was in close contact with the patient for symptoms,” the department said, adding: “There is no evidence of transmission of this virus between people.”

Those who had exposure to the backyard flock and its environment were also being monitored for potential symptoms, the department said.

— Reporting by Preetika Parashuraman in Bengaluru.

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The poultry industry has suffered the most, with almost 15 million birds dying or being culled to control the virus in Canada. The Supreme Court of Canada recently dismissed a British Columbia ostrich farm’s bid to stop a cull after avian flu was detected on the farm in December 2024. That cull was completed on November 7.

Why it matters: Avian influenza has taken an enormous toll on Canadian poultry farmers and wild birds are considered a vector through which the disease can reach farms.

The problem has been worse in the United States, with more than 180 million birds and over 1,000 dairy cattle farms being affected.

In the wild, the virus has also triggered mass die-offs of birds. In 2022 alone, at least 40,000 wild birds died of HPAI in eastern Canada, including 25,000 northern gannets and thousands of common murres and common eiders. Mortality due to HPAI has continued, with thousands of birds and many wild mammals being affected.

A(H5Nx) refers to avian influenza virus subtypes that share the H5 surface protein but differ in the N protein; current subtypes circulating in North America include H5N1 and H5N5.

As of yet there has been no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission of the A(H5Nx) subtypes, leading the Public Health Agency of Canada to conclude that the most likely spread scenario now is occasional infection of humans from infected animals with no further spread.

That said, the World Health Organization reports that globally since 2003, almost 48 per cent of the 990 people infected have died. Closer to home, a teenager in British Columbia was infected, resulting in severe illness, but they thankfully recovered.

This is a virus that is clearly a threat to livestock and human health. Our team, a collaboration of governments and academics across the country, recently assessed the extent of HPAI A(H5Nx) in at-risk species across Canada.

In each province and territory, a NatureServe Canada Conservation Data Centre conducts status assessments of wild species and makes the data available through NatureServe Explorer. We identified species of conservation concern in each province and territory, then examined our surveillance data to determine which of these species had detections of HPAI A(H5Nx).

What we found

Tracking a fast-moving virus across a country as vast as Canada takes an extraordinary network, from field biologists collecting samples in remote wetlands to laboratory scientists decoding viral genomes.

In order to do so, we formed Canada’s Interagency Surveillance Program for Avian Influenza in Wildlife in 2005, consisting of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC), the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Parks Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, academic institutions as well as agricultural and environment ministries from all provinces and territories.

By capturing and testing live birds, as well as testing sick and dead wildlife, we identify cases of HPAI A(H5Nx) in wildlife and make the results publicly available through a national dashboard anyone can explore.

We’ve found that HPAI A(H5Nx) had been detected in 41 at-risk species across the 10 provinces, including four species that were assessed nationally by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada as at risk: the barn owl, horned grebe, snowy owl and western grebe.

The affected birds represent remarkable ecological diversity: from predators like the peregrine falcon to seabirds like the northern gannet and wetland species like the horned grebe and western grebe. Smaller or more elusive species, especially those living far from people, are likely underrepresented because they’re less likely to be found and tested.

The power of public reporting

The detection of HPAI A(H5Nx) in so many at-risk species underscores a troubling reality: emerging diseases are now part of the conservation landscape.

A 2024 study found that 16 per cent of wild bird species and 27 per cent of mammal species with H5N1 infections were listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature as conservation concerns. These are species already facing a number of challenges, and disease adds yet another one.

For species already pushed to the brink by habitat loss, pollution and climate change, a new infectious threat can tip the balance toward extinction.

This work illustrates the importance of the public in monitoring wildlife diseases. Every time someone reports a sick or dead wild animal, it contributes to our understanding of disease in wildlife.

People across Canada can play a direct role by reporting observations to the CWHC. It’s an easy way for anyone to contribute to national wildlife health surveillance. Without these public reports, we would have far less information about how HPAI A(H5Nx) is affecting wild species, especially in remote areas.

This is citizen science at its most immediate and impactful.

A broader perspective

Our work also speaks to how science and the public can work together in the face of global health challenges. The same systems that detect avian influenza in wildlife also protect the poultry industry, our pets and, indirectly, human health.

It’s a reminder that disease surveillance is a public good that depends on investment and co-operation across disciplines, governments and communities.

Further, these collaborations illustrate the One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are interlinked.

The spread of avian influenza in wildlife, livestock and occasionally people underscores how closely connected our health really is. We are only going to address these challenges by working together in a One Health approach.

Lastly, it’s important to note that this work reflects the efforts of dozens of people across Canada. Folks from many federal, provincial, territorial and academic institutions all contribute to the surveillance network described here. Their collective expertise and commitment make this work possible.

—Damien O. Joly, PhD, is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative (CWHC), where he is leading efforts to fully implement the Pan-Canadian Approach to Wildlife Health.

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RCMP said the incident occurred on Sept. 22 and the alleged perpetrator was arrested without incident. He was later released with the promise not to return to the area.

Media reports said the neighbour, a woman in her early 70s, spotted a person dressed in black, wearing a balaclava while pouring gasoline on her home. She confronted the person, who allegedly splashed gasoline on her and a scuffle ensued. Since then, Katie Pasitney of Universal Ostrich took to social media to condemn the accused’s actions, stating the protest against the cull of their remaining ostriches is peaceful and non-violent.

“We do not condone violence of any kind so please, if you are one of those people, you are not part of this,” Pasitney said.

In December 2024, some of the farm’s ostriches contracted avian influenza. Shortly after, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency ordered the remaining birds to be culled. Since then protests and court actions followed in an effort to halt the cull.

Presently, the matter has gone to the Supreme Court of Canada. The court already granted a stay of the cull until they chose to hear Universal Farm’s case or not.

As for the CFIA, they issued a statement on Oct. 1, saying two of the ostriches were being treated for the condition of their feet. Also, the farm is under CGIA control, and the agency is following their stamp out policy pertaining to bird flu.

There were 10 current outbreaks of avian influenza in Canadian poultry as of Oct. 1, according to CFIA data. No cases have been found in Canadian cattle.

In the United States, the latest discoveries of bird flu have hit turkeys at commercial farms in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Utah. Also, a whooping crane in Wisconsin that was due to be released into the wild died of bird flu. There are about 700 wild whopping cranes left in the U.S.

Over the course of September, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said there are 19 commercial bird flocks and eight backyard flocks in which bird flu has been diagnosed. That placed the number of affected birds at 3.83 million.

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The Supreme Court issued an order Wednesday granting an “interim-interim stay” of a culling order made on Dec. 31.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency late last year ordered about 400 ostriches to be killed. Since then the Universal Ostrich Farms in Edgewood, British Columbia, has fought the order. They lost multiple lower court rulings but won some powerful supporters in the U.S. who have launched a campaign to stop the cull.

Why it matters: Experts have called the ostriches a risk to animal and human health.

In their motion for a stay co-owners Karen Espersen and Dave Bilinski included an affidavit from a University of British Columbia professor arguing the ostriches have immunity to avian flu.

Mehmet Oz, U.S. administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, offered in August to house the birds to study them. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr has also argued against the cull.

The culling had been scheduled for later on Wednesday, the farm’s lawyer Umar Sheikh told Reuters.

He said he was “obviously very, very happy” with the order but emphasized this is “a very uphill battle” and “this is just a very short, temporary breather.”

A severe bird flu outbreak in recent years resulted in millions of chickens, turkeys and other birds being killed in the United States to contain the spread of bird flu, which can infect humans and is fatal in poultry. The cullings contributed to egg prices at U.S. grocery stores climbing to a record high. Smaller commercial poultry flocks have been eliminated in Canada.

The farm, whose owners say they specialize in studying ostrich antibodies, had argued culling the birds would cause “irreparable harm” and “permanently destroy unique genetics and a specialized research‑based business.”

The ostriches’ reprieve could be short-lived as the court has yet to determine the ostriches’ fate.

Now the food inspection agency maintains custody of the birds and has until Oct. 3 to file its reply to the farm’s application to the Supreme Court. The court will deal with the case on an expedited basis, it said in the ruling granting the stay.

— Additional reporting by Ed White in Winnipeg

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Universal Ostrich Farm in Edgewood has been in an ongoing battle with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) ever since it ordered the cull of the birds in December of last year following the deaths of 69 birds and two positive PCR tests for H5N1.

The farm appealed the CFIA’s order and the cull was delayed, but that appeal was unanimously denied Thursday.

Court draws attention to biosecurity risks

The spread of highly-pathogenic avian influenza has been a major cause for concern in Canadian agriculture. The court decision noted this, saying the “stamping-out” policy is recognized as the only viable option when exposure to the virus is detected.

In June, a Canada Research Chair in Communicable Disease Epidemiology told AgCanada any number of positive samples of avian influenza lead to extreme caution.

The court drew attention to several biosecurity risks, including Universal’s failure to disclose the 2024 outbreak and to reduce the risk of transmission.

The decision expressed the court’s sympathy and consideration for the farm while asserting the necessity of the cull.

“We recognize that our decision might lead to the death of over 400 ostriches owned by the appellant (Universal Ostrich), an outcome that would doubtless be very difficult, both financially and emotionally, for the appellant’s principals,” the decision read. “While we have considerable sympathy for them, the law we are bound to apply inevitably leads to the conclusion that this appeal must be dismissed.”

Case drew international attention

The case drew widespread attention, including protests in support of the farm’s appeal.

The farm claimed the birds had developed herd immunity and should be studied to help fight avian flu and contribute to antibody research. According to a CFIA’s statement, the farm has not substantiated their claims of on-farm research and provided no research documentation during a request for exemption from the disposal order.

The case gained international traction as well. U.S. Secretary for Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sent an open letter to the CFIA asking them to reconsider the cull. Dr. Mehmet Oz offered to house the birds in Florida, which the farm’s owners reportedly declined.

John A. Catsimatidis, a Republican businessman and talk show host who is also CEO of the Red Apple Group conglomerate in the eastern U.S., offered to fund Universal Ostrich Farm’s legal battle in Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal.

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