March 21, 2025

Global avian flu crisis escalates, UN calls for urgent action

The rapid spread of the highly infectious H5N1 avian flu virus has reached an unprecedented scale, wiping out hundreds of millions of birds worldwide and increasingly spilling over into mammals, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has warned.

In a meeting with member states, FAO officials called for urgent measures to strengthen biosecurity, surveillance, and rapid-response mechanisms to curb the outbreak. FAO Deputy Director-General Godfrey Magwenzi highlighted the significant impact of the crisis on food security, rural livelihoods, and global economies, warning that rising costs for consumers and supply chain disruptions are already being felt.

With millions of people relying on poultry for meat and eggs, efforts are focused not only on containing the virus but also on protecting food production systems. In the United States, egg prices hit a record high in February as farmers were forced to cull over 166 million birds due to the spread of avian flu, with more than 30 million birds lost so far this year.

FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol emphasised the need for a global coordinated response, describing H5N1 as a transboundary threat that no country can tackle alone. To address the crisis, FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have launched a ten-year Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza.

"A chain is only as strong as its weakest link. By working together, we can reduce the impact of avian influenza and protect both animal and human health – locally and globally," Bechdol said.

Over the past four years, the virus has spread to new regions, leading to widespread losses in domestic birds, disruptions in food supply chains, and rising poultry prices. At least 300 new wild bird species have been affected since 2021, posing a growing threat to biodiversity.

FAO reaffirmed its commitment to global monitoring, data sharing, and technical support to help countries contain the outbreak. Bechdol also underscored the role of private sector involvement in developing vaccines, diagnostics, and improved animal health services.

The briefing also included a third call for funding proposals under the Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank. Over the past two years, FAO has co-led multiple Pandemic Fund projects aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, early warning systems, and health infrastructure to prevent future outbreaks.

- United Nations