The United Nations health agency said bird flu has appeared in 108 countries across five continents.
In an update on the mutated virus – known as H5N1 – Dr Madhur Dhingra from the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAOsaying it had “spilled into wildlife”.
More than 500 species of birds have been infected along with at least 70 species of mammals, including California condors and endangered polar bears.
In areas that rely heavily on poultry as their main source of protein, the FAO doctor emphasized that avian influenza “poses a serious threat to food and nutritional security.”
Economic damage
Dr Dhingra warned that hundreds of millions of people’s livelihoods have been affected by the virus – the economic burden on farmers could prevent them from investing in adequate biosecurity measures.
After the emergence of H5N1 influenza virus in dairy cows, WHO has joined calls for increased monitoring and biosecurity on farms to keep animals and people safe.
The United Nations health agency said that in 2024, there will be 76 people infected with the H5 bird flu strain and the majority are farm workers. More than 60 cases originated in the United States, which has also reported H5 outbreaks in wildlife and poultry and, more recently, in dairy cows.
There have also been cases reported in Australia, Canada, China, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Low risk to humans – currently
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, currently WHO Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Threat Management, said that based on the latest science, “we assess the risk of infection to the community – you and me – now at a low level”.
But if you work on a farm, she warns – and come into contact with infected animals – “we assess the current public health risk as low to moderate,” depending on the severity of the disease. Personal protection is provided.
To date there is no evidence that the H5N1 virus has adapted to spread between humans and no cases of human-to-human transmission have been reported.
There is no room for complacency
“However, we must remember that this could change quickly, as the virus is evolving and we must be prepared for such a scenario,” the UN pandemic expert added.
Therefore, every case in humans must be thoroughly investigated.
Dr. Van Kerkhove also emphasized the importance of drinking farmed milk – and if it’s not available, warming it before consuming.
She concluded: “We want to reiterate the critical importance of using a One Health approach across sectors – global, national and local – to tackle avian influenza effectively, reducing minimize risks to animals and humans”.
