From 4 to 10 September 2026, one new case of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus was reported to WHO in the Western Pacific Region. The case is a pediatric patient from Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China, with symptom onset on 23 August 2026. The case did not require hospitalization and has since recovered. The case had exposure to household poultry and their environment. No additional cases were reported from close contacts.
Since 2015, a total of 181 cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2), including two deaths (both with underlying conditions), have been reported to WHO in the Western Pacific Region. Of these, 178 were reported from China, two were from Cambodia, and one was from Viet Nam.
Most human infections with avian influenza A(H9N2) have been associated with exposure to infected poultry or contaminated poultry environments, and the majority of cases have been mild. Sporadic human infections continue to be expected in areas where H9N2 viruses circulate in poultry populations. Current evidence indicates that H9N2 viruses have not acquired the ability for sustained human-to-human transmission, and the risk of further community-level spread remains low.