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H5N1 Bird Flu Spreads Across UK and US with New H5N5 Variant Emerging Global Health Concerns
# Bird Flu Bulletin: Daily H5N1 Update
Good evening. This is the Bird Flu Bulletin for Friday, November 28, 2025.
TOP STORIES
We begin with three major developments in the avian influenza outbreak affecting the United Kingdom and United States.
First, the UK government confirmed a highly pathogenic H5N1 case at a large commercial poultry unit near Ely in East Cambridgeshire on Thursday. This follows two additional confirmations on November 25th affecting large commercial premises. All poultry at these facilities will be humanely culled, with three-kilometer protection zones and ten-kilometer surveillance zones now in effect around each affected location.
Second, case numbers continue climbing across the Atlantic. According to the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 90 commercial and backyard flocks reported outbreaks in just the last thirty days, affecting more than 1.6 million birds. This brings the nationwide total to nearly 184 million birds infected since the outbreak began in February 2022. The CDC confirms 70 human cases in the United States, with one death reported among dairy cattle workers.
Third, a Washington State resident has died from H5N5 avian influenza, marking the first confirmed human case of this variant globally. This emergence of a new strain has intensified concerns among infectious disease researchers monitoring the virus's rapid evolution.
CASE NUMBER UPDATES
The UK now reports 57 confirmed H5N1 cases across the 2025 to 2026 outbreak season. England accounts for 45 cases, Wales has seven, Northern Ireland four, and Scotland one. Yesterday's updates added cases in Norfolk and continued the pattern of commercial poultry facilities being the primary vector for transmission.
HEALTH AUTHORITY GUIDANCE
The UK government maintains mandatory housing requirements for birds in affected areas of the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone as of October 30th. Bird gatherings remain prohibited in disease control zones, though licenses may be applied for outside these designated areas. The World Organisation for Animal Health notes that the UK is no longer designated as free from highly pathogenic avian influenza.
EXPERT INSIGHT
Researchers from the University of Cambridge and University of Glasgow released findings on November 28th revealing that bird flu viruses demonstrate surprising heat tolerance. The study, published in Science, identified a gene strongly influencing how sensitive the virus is to temperature changes. This discovery challenges previous assumptions and underscores why human transmission prevention remains crucial during the coming winter months.
LOOKING AHEAD
As we move into the weekend and early December, epidemiologists anticipate continued case confirmations in commercial poultry operations across England's East Anglia region. The CDC will likely issue updated guidance regarding occupational safety for farm workers following the H5N5 death in Washington State. International health authorities are expected to convene discussions on the emerging H5N5 variant's pandemic potential.
The general population risk remains low according to the CDC, but moderate to high risk continues for workers with direct exposure to infected animals.
Thank you for tuning in to the Bird Flu Bulletin. Please join us next week for more updates on this developing story. This has been a Quiet Please production. For more information, check out Quiet Please Dot A I.
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Published on 1 week, 1 day ago