On Apr. 12, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that Vietnam had reported the countryﾒs first human infection with a low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H9N2) virus. This is a different subtype of avian influenza than the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) virus that is most commonly reported globally and which is causing outbreaks in poultry and cattle in the U.S. currently.

Wild water birds are hosts to avian influenza viruses, and infected birds shed virus in their saliva, mucous and feces. Rare human infections with avian influenza viruses can happen when virus gets into a personﾒs eyes, nose or mouth, or is inhaled.