On Sep. 6, 2024, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed a human case of avian influenza A(H5) (“H5 bird flu”) reported by the state of Missouri. The case was identified through that state’s seasonal flu surveillance system.

The specimen was forwarded to CDC for confirmatory testing per usual protocols and confirmed the following day. An investigation into the potential exposure was ongoing by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). This was the 14^th human case of H5 reported in the United States during 2024, and the first case of H5 without a known occupational exposure to sick or infected animals.