Avian Influenza A(H5N5) - United States of America

Situation at a glance

On 15 November 2025, WHO was notified of the 71st confirmed human case with influenza A(H5) since early 2024 in the United States of America— the first human case reported in the United States of America since February 2025. On 20 November, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) laboratory sequencing verified the virus as influenza A(H5N5), representing the first globally reported human case caused by an influenza A(H5N5) virus. The investigation by health authorities in the United States of America is ongoing. Contact tracing identified no further cases amongst contacts, and there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission. Due to the constantly evolving nature of influenza viruses, WHO continues to stress the importance of global surveillance to detect and monitor virological (including genomics), epidemiological and clinical changes associated with emerging or circulating influenza viruses that may affect human health and timely virus sharing for risk assessment. Based on available information, the WHO currently assesses the overall public health risk posed by A(H5) viruses as low. However, for individuals with occupational risk of exposure, the risk of infection is considered low to moderate.
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Read the full DON here: https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON590

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