Research and analysis

Outbreaks under monitoring: week 13 (week ending 29 March 2026)

Updated 2 April 2026

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Disease or pathogen Avian influenza A(H9N2)
Location Italy
Status New
Reporting date 25 March 2026
Summary On 25 March 2026, Italy’s Ministry of Health (in Italian) reported a confirmed human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) in the Lombardy region. The case, who was hospitalised following infection, has comorbidities and was reportedly exposed in a country outside of the European region. This is the first human case of avian influenza A(H9N2) reported in Europe.

In response, health authorities carried out contact tracing and epidemiological investigations and no further cases were reported.

The majority of avian influenza A(H9N2) human cases have been reported from China. To date, there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmission for this virus.

UKHSA assesses the risk of avian influenza A(H9N2) to UK residents within the UK as very low, as it is not present in animal reservoirs in the UK. The risk to UK nationals travelling to an affected country is also considered to be very low, although risk may be higher in individuals with history of poultry exposure and associated activities.
Further information Avian influenza: guidance, data and analysis.
Risk assessment of avian influenza A(H9N2)
NaTHNaC country information page: Italy
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