04 January 2026
The Israeli Veterinary Services of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security officially confirmed the season's first outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza on January 4, 2026. The pathogen was detected in a flock of mature breeding ducks (approximately 41 weeks old) in Moshav Sde Ya'akov, located in the ecologically sensitive Jezreel Valley.
In accordance with established biosecurity protocols for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), the Ministry has ordered the immediate culling of the flock. This incident marks the official start of the 2025–2026 winter avian influenza season in Israel.
