March 1, 2021

WHO: H5N8 bird flu human-to-human spread risk deemed low

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said the risk of H5N8 bird flu strain being spread from humans-to-humans appears low following the first identified human infection of the virus among Russian farm workers, Reuters reported.

Russia confirmed the first case of H5N8 bird flu passed from birds to humans and reported the matter to WHO.

WHO said Seven people were infected by the virus, but all were asymptomatic. They worked on a poultry farm in Astrakhan, south of the country. The investigation began after 101,000 of the farm's 900,000 egg-laying hens were dead from the virus.

WHO said all of the infected's close contacts were clinically monitored, and no one showed signs of critical illness, adding that the risk of human-to-human transmission remains low based on currently available information.

The WHO advised against implementing special traveller screening at points of entry, or or restrictions on travel and or trade with Russia.

The WHO said there have been outbreaks of the highly pathogenic H5N8 bird flu virus among poultry and wild birds in Britain, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Egypt, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, Japan, Kazakhstan, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, and Russia.

- Reuters