Table: Human cases of H5N1 bird flu
Last updated: November 19, 2024
On this page you’ll find detailed information about each human case of H5N1 bird flu since 2020, when a new variant (clade 2.3.4.4b) emerged in birds and spread around the world, eventually reaching every continent except Oceania. This page is updated regularly and as soon as possible when a human case is reported.
The current variant of concern has affected a growing number of mammals since it was first discovered. The first human case with clade 2.3.4.4b was reported in the UK in January 2022. Older variants are also capable of causing human cases, including clade 2.3.2.1c, which is endemic in Cambodia.
Summary (1997-present)
| Cases | Deaths | CFR | |
| New variant | 71 | 1 | 1% |
| All variants | 972 | 470 | 48% |
U.S. cases in 2024
| Cases | Unknown source | |
| California | 29 | 1 |
| Washington | 14 | 0 |
| Colorado | 10 | 0 |
| Michigan | 2 | 0 |
| Missouri | 1 | 1 |
| Oregon | 1 | 0 |
| Texas | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 58 | 2 |
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Clade 2.3.4.4b (new variant)
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NOTE: The most recent case in California, involving a child with no link to poultry or dairy, is awaiting confirmation from the CDC. An initial test was positive for H5 bird flu.
| Reported | Location | Patient | Symptoms | Outcome | Poultry/ cattle link | Source |
| 2024-11 | California | Child | Mild | Recovered | No | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Link |
| 2024-11 | Oregon | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | N/A | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | N/A | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | Canada | Teen | Severe | N/A | No | Link |
| 2024-11 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | Adult | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | Adult | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | Adult | Mild | N/A | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-11 | California | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | Washington | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-10 | California | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-09 | Missouri | Adult | Mild | Recovered | No | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | Colorado | Adult/M | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-05 | Michigan | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-05 | Michigan | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-04 | Texas | Adult | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-07 | UK | N/A | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-07 | UK | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-05 | UK | N/A | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-05 | UK | N/A | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-03 | Chile | 53/M | Severe | Recovered | No | Link |
| 2023-03 | China | 52/F | Severe | Recovered | Yes | |
| 2023-01 | Ecuador | 9/F | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2022-10 | Spain | 19/M | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2022-10 | Spain | 27/M | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2022-09 | China | 38/F | Severe | Died | Yes | |
| 2022-04 | Colorado | N/A | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2022-01 | UK | 80s | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
NOTE: This table includes 4 probable cases (1 in California and 3 in Washington) which tested positive at a local lab but negative at the CDC.
Other variants or unknown (2020-present)
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| Reported | Clade | Location | Patient | Symptoms | Outcome | Poultry/ cattle link | Source |
| 2024-08 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 15/F | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2024-08 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 16/F | Severe | Unknown | Yes | Link |
| 2024-08 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 4/M | Severe | Unknown | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 5/F | Mild | Unknown | Yes | Link |
| 2024-07 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 3/M | Severe | Unknown | Yes | Link |
| 2024-05 | 2.3.2.1a | Australia | 2/F | Severe | Recovered | Unknown | Link |
| 2024-05 | Unknown | China | 33/F | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-03 | 2.3.2.1c | Vietnam | 21/M | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2024-02 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 17/F | Severe | Unknown | Yes | Link |
| 2024-02 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 16/M | None | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-02 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 10/M | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2024-01 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 69/M | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2024-01 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 3/M | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-11 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 4/F | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-11 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 21/F | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2023-10 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 2/F | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2023-10 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 50/M | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2023-02 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 49/M | Mild | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2023-02 | 2.3.2.1c | Cambodia | 11/F | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2022-10 | Unknown | Vietnam | 4-5/F | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
| 2021-07 | 2.3.2.1a | India | 11/M | Severe | Died | Yes | Link |
| 2020-10 | Unknown | Laos | 1/F | Severe | Recovered | Yes | Link |
Prior to 2020, a total of 879 laboratory-confirmed cases were reported across the world, causing 462 deaths. Most of those cases occurred between 2004 and 2011.
Definitions
- Reported: The month in which a case was publicly reported. The actual infection or the onset of symptoms may have occurred weeks earlier. In China, it takes anywhere from days to weeks to publicly report a case.
Symptoms/Outcome
- None: The patient did not report any symptoms (asymptomatic).
- Mild: The patient experienced symptoms which did not require hospitalization or they were hospitalized but only for observation.
- Severe: More serious symptoms requiring hospitalization, especially ICU treatment.
- Recovered: The patient survived the active infection of H5N1 bird flu. Some survivors have long-term or permanent health issues caused by the illness.
- Died: The patient died while undergoing treatment for H5N1.
- Unknown: No reliable information is available about the outcome of the case, which often happens when the patient is still hospitalized at the time of the announcement and no further updates are released.
Other data notes
- Because we can only display one source in the table, the cited link may not include all available or up-to-date information.
- Some cases may be assigned to a specific clade before laboratory studies are complete. For example, a person testing positive for H5 bird flu may be listed as H5N1 if they worked on a farm where animals were infected with H5N1.
