Multiple strains of bird flu has scientists worried

Headline:  New York Times, 1/10/2026

Apoorva Mandavilli reports:

In the United States, the term bird flu has become synonymous with a particular virus that has devastated poultry and dairy farms over the past few years. But that virus, called H5N1, is not the only form of bird flu in circulation. 

Concerned scientists are keeping a close eye other types, including a fast-changing flu virus called H9N2. 

In a study published in November, researchers in Hong Kong showed that over the last decade, this virus has acquired mutations that allow it to spread more efficiently among people and to cause more severe disease. [emphasis added]

H9N2 is often discounted as a threat, because it causes only mild symptoms in poultry. But in people, especially children, the virus can cause more severe illness than the seasonal flu.

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January 1-10, 2026

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Wild birds are spreading avian flu across the United States.  (11/13)

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Quebec reports 4th case of avian flu in 2025.  (10/17)

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Avian flu hits two more turkey flock in Minnesota.  (10/10)

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