December 2, 2024

WHO calls for increased bird flu surveillance

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged countries to enhance surveillance of bird flu following the detection of the first H5N1 avian influenza case in a child in the US.

Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO's director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, addressed the issue during a press conference. She noted a rising number of human H5N1 infections worldwide in recent years.

"What we really need globally, in the US and abroad, is much stronger surveillance in animals—in wild birds, in poultry, in animals that are known to be susceptible to infection, which includes swine and dairy cattle—to better understand the circulation in these animals," Van Kerkhove stated.

The H5N1 strain first emerged in 1996. Since 2020, outbreaks in birds have increased significantly, with a corresponding rise in infections in mammals. The virus has caused the deaths of tens of millions of poultry and affected wild birds as well as land and marine mammals.

Although human cases recorded in Europe and the US during this period have mostly been mild, the detection of infections in mammals highlights the potential for broader transmission.

In March this year, avian influenza infections were reported in several dairy herds across the US. US health officials have maintained that the risk to the public remains low. However, they caution that individuals working closely with livestock, such as birds and dairy cattle, face a higher risk of exposure.

-      AFP