Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) has reported two new H9N2 avian flu cases from mainland China. The detections raise the H9N2 total since April to 21 cases.
One case was noted in a 2-year-old boy from Hunan Province, and the second case was in a 70-year-old woman from Jiangxi Province. Both patients experienced symptom onset at the end of September.
21 cases in past 6 months
Thirteen of the 21 cases reported in the past 6 months have been in children under age 7 years.
All 21 cases in 2025 have been reported from mainland China, with the most (7) reported in Hunan province. In 2024, the country reported 11 total cases.
H9N2 avian flu is known to circulate in poultry in China and other parts of Asia, and sporadic human infections have been reported, mainly in China. Infections are typically reported in children, who usually experience mild infections. Some infections, however, are severe.