In Italy, the first case of H9N2 avian influenza infection in a human has been recorded in Europe. According to media reports, the patient arrived from outside the continent, and their condition requires hospitalization.
As reported by the Italian Ministry of Health, a person in Lombardy was hospitalized with a diagnosis of influenza A(H9N2), a subtype of avian influenza, on March 25.
This event marks the first of its kind in Europe.
In a press release, the ministry stated that all necessary checks were conducted immediately, and all contacts of the patient were identified as part of preventive measures and epidemiological surveillance.
The patient has underlying health conditions and is currently in isolation receiving necessary treatment.
From 1998 to February 27, 2026, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) recorded 195 cases of human infection with the A(H9N2) virus in ten countries in Asia and Africa.
The ECDC report emphasizes that there have been no observed clusters of illness or human-to-human transmission so far.
Infection generally occurs as a result of direct contact with infected birds or with the environment contaminated by the virus.
"Sporadic cases of avian influenza are not unexpected in regions where the virus is actively circulating among birds," noted the ECDC.
According to the latest monitoring report released this month, the ECDC, in collaboration with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), reported ten registered cases of avian influenza in humans from November 29, 2025, to February 27, 2026, none of which resulted in fatalities.
All cases occurred in Cambodia, where one case of A(H5N1) was recorded, and in China, where eight cases of A(H9N2) and one case of A(H10N3) were registered.
Based on data provided by Italian public health authorities and existing knowledge of the virus's epidemiology, the ECDC assesses the risk to the general population in EU/EEA countries associated with A(H9N2) influenza in this case as very low.
The record "Italy confirms the first case of H9N2 avian influenza in a human in Europe" appeared on the K-News website.
