EventScientists confirmed a second H5N5 avian influenza case in a polar bear on Svalbard’s Æøya island in June 2026, only 23 km from the first May case. The finding – the third worldwide – follows evidence of widespread exposure among the archipelago’s bears, prompting calls for intensified monitoring.
A second Svalbard polar bear tested positive for H5N5 avian influenza, making the archipelago the only place in Europe with confirmed cases. The discovery, together with evidence of widespread exposure among bears, underscores the growing risk of bird flu in Arctic wildlife and signals the need for ongoing monitoring.
A second polar bear in Svalbard has tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N5, underscoring an ongoing multi‑species spillover event across the Arctic.
