From 16 to 21 October 2026, two new cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H9N2) virus were reported to WHO in the Western Pacific Region. Both cases were from China. The first case is a pediatric patient from Hubei Province, with symptom onset on 22 September 2026, and the second case is an adult patient from Jiangxi Province, with symptom onset on 16 September. Both cases had exposure to poultry. All close contacts of both cases tested negative for influenza A. The cases have now recovered.
Since 2015, a total of 187 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, 184 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.