H9N2 patient isolated

First human case of bird flu in Europe

A bird flu pathogen under the microscope(Bild: AP/CDC/NIAID)

The first human infection with the avian influenza virus (bird flu) has been confirmed in Europe. The Italian Ministry of Health stated that the patient likely contracted the virus abroad.

The H9N2 case was identified in Lombardy. The patient is currently being treated in isolation at San Gerardo Hospital in Monza. It was reported that he has underlying health conditions and comorbidities.

Contacts tested negative
“All necessary tests were conducted immediately, and relevant contacts were identified as part of standard prevention and surveillance measures,” according to the Italian Ministry of Health. The infected individual is a man of African origin living in Lombardy who contracted the H9N2 virus strain there. All individuals who had contact with the man tested negative.

This confirms that no human-to-human transmission of the avian influenza virus A(H9N2) has been detected to date. “There is therefore no cause for alarm in Italy,” epidemiologist Gianni Rezza assured, according to media reports. Nevertheless, surveillance by the Ministry of Health remains active.

A bird flu pathogen under the microscope(Bild: AP/CDC/NIAID)

195 infected people worldwide since 1998
According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), 195 cases of A(H9N2) in humans have been reported worldwide in ten countries in Asia and Africa between 1998 and February 27, 2026. Two infections were fatal. To date, no clusters of human infections with influenza A(H9N2) or documented cases of human-to-human transmission have been reported. Direct contact with infected birds or contaminated environments is considered the most likely source of infection with avian influenza viruses in humans.

Human cases of another, more aggressive strain—H5N1—have been detected in recent years in England, Spain, and Turkey, as well as in Asia and Africa, although these cases are very rare. In total, approximately one thousand infections with H5N1 have been recorded worldwide since the early 2000s, with a high mortality rate. Generally, infection with the virus occurs through direct contact with infected poultry or with contaminated environments or materials. The virus primarily affects birds, but has also been found in several mammals.