H5N1 Bird Flu Outbreak Stabilizes No New Human Cases as Dairy and Poultry Sectors Remain on High Alert

Bird Flu Bulletin: Daily H5N1 Update Saturday, September 13, 2025 This is Bird Flu Bulletin: Daily H5N1 Update, bringing you the essential news on the global H5N1 situation. Today is Saturday, September 13, 2025. Top Stories First, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the nation’s total number of H5N1-infected dairy herds stands unchanged at 1,079 across 17 states this week. The latest positive came from a Texas dairy sample collected in March, tested as part of an assistance program. There have been no new detections in cattle in the past 30 days, offering a brief respite for the livestock industry, but poultry outbreaks continue. A major commercial turkey farm in Beadle County, South Dakota reported an outbreak affecting more than 50,000 birds, adding to recent detections in neighboring states, according to the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. Second, researchers still cannot identify the source of a recent pediatric H5N1 infection in California. The CDC and California investigators outlined that the child’s infection, caused by the same B3.13 genotype seen in dairy cattle, poultry, and wild birds, likely came from environmental exposure—not from poultry or family contacts. Extensive testing found no evidence of human-to-human spread, but ongoing genetic sequencing and vigilance remain priorities, as published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Third, according to the CDC’s updated summary as of today, the nationwide count for confirmed human H5N1 cases remains at 70, with no new cases or deaths reported since yesterday. The case breakdown stands at 41 linked to dairy herd exposures, 24 to poultry, and 5 to other exposures or unknown sources. The total number of reported deaths remains at one. The CDC continues to emphasize there is currently no evidence of person-to-person transmission and maintains that the public health threat is low. Case Count Changes No increase in reported human or animal cases since yesterday, which health authorities consider cautiously positive. However, sporadic outbreaks in commercial poultry underline the ongoing risk of virus spread in animal populations. Health Authority Guidance The CDC, in its latest advisory, stresses that while the risk to the general public is low, those working with potentially infected animals—especially on dairy and poultry farms—should maintain strict hygiene and personal protective measures. USDA and CDC encourage real-time subtyping at local labs and continued One Health surveillance across animals and humans. Expert Interview Snippet Dr. Angela Foster, virologist at Stanford, addressed the ongoing uncertainties: "While we are not seeing sustained human transmission, the virus’s continued presence in multiple species raises concern for future adaptation. Interagency collaboration and robust surveillance are vital for early detection and response." Looking Ahead Tomorrow, animal health officials are expected to release This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.