WOAH Global HPAI Epidemic Update: Outbreak Summary & Biosecurity Protocols

World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has released Situation Report 87, detailing the global distribution, impact, and epidemiological trends of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza (HPAI) through late September 2026.

A copy of the Report can be accessed here – hpai-situation-report-87

The current seasonal wave (October 2025 – September 2026) has demonstrated persistent cross-continental transmission, a massive surge in wild bird outbreaks, and continual mammalian spillover events. Although poultry outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere have followed expected seasonal declines post-November 2025, wild bird surveillance figures reached historical highs—exceeding 7,800 outbreaks across 61 countries and territories.

Key Metrics & Comparative Epidemic Waves

September 2026 Monthly Breakdown

• Poultry Outbreaks: 20 new outbreaks reported across 7 countries and territories (Bulgaria, Cambodia, Canada, France, Suriname, United Kingdom, United States).

• Poultry Mortality & Culling: Approximately 467,458 birds were lost or culled globally during September alone. The Americas suffered the highest losses (459,312 birds).

• Non-Poultry Birds: 30 new outbreaks across 13 countries and territories.

• Mammalian Spillover: 1 new mammalian case confirmed in an Arctic fox in Norway.

• Antarctica / Sub-Antarctic: No confirmed cases during September 2026, though unusual mortality was observed in Snow Petrels.

Regional Outbreak & Genotype Distribution

1. Americas

• Suriname: Immediate notification of new poultry events in Paramaribo (started Sept 9, 2026).

• United States & Canada: Ongoing H5N1 poultry outbreaks.

• South America: Wild bird H5N1 detections in Chile (Araucanía), Uruguay (Colonia), Argentina (Buenos Aires), and Peru (Reassortant Eurasian/North American Clade 2.3.4.4b).

• Disease Freedom: Peru officially self-declared recovery of HPAI freedom in poultry as of September 3, 2026, under Article 10.4.6 of the Terrestrial Code.

2. Europe

• United Kingdom: New H5N5 event in Scottish poultry (Sept 21, 2026).

• France: Ongoing H5N1 Clade 2.3.4.4b (Fully Eurasian Lineage) outbreaks in poultry.

• Bulgaria: Ongoing H5N1 poultry outbreaks.

• Wild Birds & Mammals: Detections across Belgium, Cyprus, Denmark, Germany, Iceland (H5N5), Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden.

3. Asia and the Pacific

• Cambodia: New H5N1 event reported in Otdar Meanchey (Sept 21, 2026).

Key Technical Recommendations & One Health Action Points

WOAH stresses that because HPAI threatens livestock, wildlife conservation, and public health, a coordinated One Health framework is mandatory.

1. Farm-Level Biosecurity Protocols

• Water & Vector Isolation: Restrict poultry and livestock access to surface water sources prone to contamination by migratory wild birds.

• Structural Exclusion: Install netting and physical barriers to prevent wild bird entry into feed storage and housing facilities.

• Sanitation: Enforce strict vehicle, boot, and equipment disinfection at farm perimeters.

2. Mammalian Diagnostic Protocols

• Differential Diagnosis: Include HPAI in differential diagnostic panels for mammals showing neurological, respiratory, or unexplained mortality signs—especially in species exposed to wild birds or raw livestock products.

• Livestock Worker Safety: Provide personal protective equipment (PPE) for workers handling sick livestock or unpasteurized dairy products.

3. Global Surveillance & Genomic Transparency

• Database Sharing: Rapidly submit full-length viral genetic sequences and associated metadata to publicly accessible platforms (GISAID, GenBank).

• Immediate Reporting: Notify WOAH via WAHIS of outbreaks in unusual hosts or non-poultry species without delay.

• Trade Policy: Avoid applying unjustified, blanket trade restrictions on countries reporting wild bird or non-poultry cases.