Outbreak of HPAI in South Korea: 2025/2026 Season Update
As of January 2026, South Korea is experiencing a marked increase in Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) activity. Official data reported on January 5, 2026, indicate that 30 outbreaks have been confirmed in commercial poultry farms during the 2025/2026 winter season. Epidemiological data demonstrate a pronounced escalation in viral activity, with December 2025 accounting for 22 of these outbreaks, in contrast to the sporadic cases reported between September and November.
A notable feature of the current season is the concurrent detection of three distinct HPAI subtypes, H5N1, H5N6, and H5N9, representing the first instance in which three different HPAI strains have been identified within a single season in South Korea.
In addition, the Ministry of Agriculture has reported that the currently circulating H5N1 strain exhibits an infectivity rate approximately tenfold higher than that of strains detected in previous seasons.
