On Feb. 26, 2021, Russian authorities reported the detection of influenza A(H5N8) virus infection in seven poultry workers in an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) virus on a poultry farm in the south of Russia. All seven human cases were reported to be mild or asymptomatic.

No transmission to humans had been reported from EU/EEA countries or any other country globally related to A(H5Nx) viruses since the first introduction to Europe in 2014. This was the first report providing direct virological evidence of a zoonotic transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N8) virus from birds to humans.