Europe, North America face early wave of bird flu

Published: 28 November 2025 Friday. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

An unusually early outbreak of bird flu is affecting large numbers of wild birds and poultry farms across Europe and North America, raising fears of a repeat of past crises that triggered mass culling and food price spikes.

The highly pathogenic avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, has previously led to the culling of hundreds of millions of farmed birds, disrupting food supplies and driving up prices. Human infections remain rare.

Typically, outbreaks spike in the northern hemisphere autumn as migratory birds fly south. However, this season, cases appeared earlier and in larger numbers, affecting both wild birds and poultry.

In the United States, 107 outbreaks were reported by November 18, nearly four times last year’s total. Minnesota, the nation’s largest turkey-producing state, confirmed its first case two months earlier than in 2022. “It’s certainly more than we’ve seen over the last few winter-fall migratory bird seasons,” said Tim Boring, director of Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Since September, the U.S. has culled about 8 million birds, a slight increase from last year. Canada, with a smaller poultry flock, has also culled nearly 8 million birds. Canadian Agriculture Minister Heath MacDonald described the situation as “very worrisome,” noting that wild birds appear to be carrying more of the disease.

The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) described the early outbreaks as concerning but not alarming. “There should not be a public health alarm. An increase in number of cases could have different explanations. What we need to observe is the actual virus itself,” said Gregorio Torres, head of WOAH’s scientific department.

In Europe, outbreaks have also been more severe than last year, with Germany reporting its highest number in three years. Between early September and mid-November, 1,443 cases of bird flu were detected in wild birds across 26 European countries—a fourfold increase compared with the same period in 2024, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said.

French health agency ANSES noted that contamination is occurring earlier among wild birds, particularly common cranes, which migrate earlier than ducks, geese, and swans. The virus is spreading from northeast to southwest Europe, causing high fatalities in Germany and France.

Experts warn that while human infections are rare, the outbreak poses major challenges for poultry farmers and food supply chains. Authorities are closely monitoring the virus and taking precautionary measures to mitigate its impact on agriculture and commerce.