H5N1 bird flu
Assessed by an AI model against this signal's rubric. Describes conditions; not a forecast or advice.
NormalStableNo human-to-human spread
One human H5N1 case reported in the past month; no human spread
Why it's at this level
WHO's human–animal interface summary (7 Oct) recorded one human H5N1 infection between 7 Sep and 7 Oct, with no evidence of human-to-human transmission; Cambodia confirmed its sixth case of 2026 on 28 Sep. No new cluster was reported as of 1 Nov.
What this means for you
Risk to the public remains low. Avoid contact with sick or dead birds.
Why it matters
H5N1 is the flu strain scientists most fear could become a pandemic; it has spread to mammals and dairy cattle.
What moves it
Human cases, mammal-to-mammal spread, mutations, surveillance.
Status at each of the last 8 checks
How it's rated
Alert
Confirmed sustained human-to-human transmission.
Watch
Human clusters under investigation, rising human cases, or new mammalian species spread.
Normal
Sporadic animal-to-human cases only.