2020–2024 H5N1 outbreak
Global outbreak of avian flu H5N1 in 2020–2024 / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Since 2020, global outbreaks of avian influenza subtype H5N1 have been occuring, with cases reported from every continent as of April 2024 except for Australia.[1][2][3][4] In late 2023, H5N1 was discovered in the Antarctic for the first time, raising fears of imminent spread throughout the region, potentially leading to a "catastrophic breeding failure" among animals that had not previously been exposed to avian influenza viruses.[5] The main virus involved in the global outbreak is classified as H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, however genetic diversification with other clades such as 2.3.2.1c has seen the virus evolve in ability to cause significant outbreaks in a broader range of species including mammals.[6][7][8]