Bird Flu Cases Plummet in the U.S. as CDC Scales Back Surveillance cover art

Bird Flu Cases Plummet in the U.S. as CDC Scales Back Surveillance

Bird Flu Cases Plummet in the U.S. as CDC Scales Back Surveillance

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 The U.S. has seen a notable decline in bird flu cases in both animals and humans over the past several weeks, prompting the CDC to reduce its H5N1 surveillance reporting from weekly to monthly. According to Johns Hopkins University, only three human cases of bird flu have been recorded in the U.S. this year, down dramatically from 67 in 2024. Public health experts caution, however, that the outbreak is not over and vigilance remains important as the fall migratory bird season approaches.

The latest CDC Influenza Surveillance Report shows that as of July 19, just 0.6 percent of respiratory specimens tested nationally were positive for influenza, with only a fraction typed as H5N1. The virus continues to circulate predominantly among birds, with the USDA reporting over 1,074 dairy cattle herds across 17 states testing positive for H5N1 since March 2024. Still, detections in cattle and poultry have dropped significantly in recent months, and in-person spillover to humans remains rare.

There has been emerging research aiming to explain why U.S. human cases have generally presented with mild symptoms, such as fever and conjunctivitis, rather than the severe illness seen in early outbreaks. Penn State researchers and a recent publication in Science Translational Medicine suggest that previous exposure and immunity to common seasonal influenza strains like H1N1 may offer some cross-protection against severe disease from H5N1, at least in U.S. populations.

Globally, the bird flu risk remains significant, particularly in Southeast Asia. Today, Cambodian health authorities confirmed the country's 14th case of human infection in 2025—a 26-year-old man from Siem Reap Province. The World Health Organization recently highlighted that other new human cases were detected in Bangladesh, India, China, Mexico, and Vietnam this month, underlining the ongoing need for international surveillance.

The current dominant genotypes detected in U.S. outbreaks—B3.13 and D1.1 of clade 2.3.4.4b—have affected not just birds, but also a range of mammals, with incidents in domestic cats and even marine mammals. While the risk to the general public is considered low, health officials are closely watching for any increase in cases or changes in viral behavior.

Experts emphasize that, while overall numbers are down, the situation warrants close observation, especially as wild birds begin migrating south and may reintroduce or amplify the virus.

Thank you for tuning in for this week’s bird flu update. Remember to come back next week for more news and analysis. This has been a Quiet Please production—learn more at QuietPlease dot A I.

For more http://www.quietplease.ai

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