Recent study published in this journal that H10 subtype avian influenza viruses (AIVs) frequently cross species barrier to infect humans, especially H10N3 subtype influenza viruses, highlight the continued threat posed by AIVs with zoonotic potential. Since the first confirmed human H10N3 infection in Jiangsu, China, in 2021, sporadic human cases have been reported in multiple provinces of China, indicating repeated cross-species transmission events at the animal–human interface. Strikingly, in early 2026, the human case caused by an H10N3 influenza virus was diagnosed in Zhanjiang city of China (https://www.gdwc.gov.cn/downpc/bmdh/jg/wj/dt/content/post_2150884.html), underscoring the urgent need of the prevention and control of this subtype influenza viruses. However, the evolutionary trajectories and molecular features associated with the recent emergence of H10N3 viruses remain incompletely understood.