Key facts
- On 16 January 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported three new human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection in China, with symptom onsets in November and December 2025.
- All three cases were in children with no underlying conditions who have recovered.
- Exposure to backyard poultry was reported for one child, one had indirect exposure to freshly slaughtered poultry and one did not have direct exposure to live poultry.
- Overall, 193 human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2), including two deaths, have been reported since 1998 from 10 countries. Since 2015, China has reported 152 human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection to WHO, including two deaths (case fatality rate (CFR): 1.3%).
- The risk to human health in the EU/EEA is currently considered very low.
Overview
On 16 January 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) reported three new human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection in China. The cases were identified through surveillance for influenza-like illness, with symptom onsets in November and December 2025.
All three cases were in children. The cases – reported from Hubei, Jiangsu and Guangxi provinces. All three children recovered. One child reported exposure to backyard poultry, one did not have direct exposure to live poultry, and one had indirect exposure to freshly slaughtered poultry.
The details for each case are as follows:
- The first case was a five-year-old boy from Hubei province, who developed symptoms on 30 November 2025. The patient had exposure to backyard poultry.
- The second case was an eight-year-old girl from Jiangsu province, who developed symptoms on 4 December 2025. No direct exposure to live poultry was identified. However, the parents of the child had visited stores that sold freshly slaughtered poultry.
- The third case was a one-year-old boy from Guangxi province, who developed symptoms on 7 December 2025. Indirect exposure to freshly slaughtered poultry was reported.
Background:
Overall, 193 human cases, including two deaths, of avian influenza A(H9N2) have been reported since 1998 from 10 countries. Since 2015, China has reported 152 human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) virus infection to WHO, including two deaths (CFR: 1%).
ECDC assessment
Sporadic human cases of avian influenza A (H9N2) have been observed outside the EU/EEA. Direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is the most likely source of human infection with avian influenza viruses. In most cases, influenza A(H9N2) leads to mild clinical illness. To date, no clusters of human A(H9N2) infections have been reported. According to WHO, the likelihood of human-to-human transmission of A(H9N2) is low, as there is no evidence that the virus has acquired the ability for sustained transmission among humans.
To date, there have been no human cases of avian influenza A(H9N2) reported in the EU/EEA, and the risk to human health in the region is currently considered very low.
Actions
ECDC monitors avian influenza strains through its epidemic intelligence and disease network activities. Together with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the EU Reference Laboratory for Avian Influenza, ECDC produces a quarterly report on the avian influenza situation. The most recent report was published in December 2025.