United Nations agencies say the continued outbreak of avian influenza poses a risk to humans

Xinhua News Agency, Geneva, July 12 (Reporter Wang Qibing) - Three United Nations agencies jointly released a press release on the 12th, stating that avian influenza has erupted in multiple parts of the world. Although it mainly affects poultry, wild birds, and some mammals, it still poses a continuous risk to humans

Xinhua News Agency, Geneva, July 12 (Reporter Wang Qibing) - Three United Nations agencies jointly released a press release on the 12th, stating that avian influenza has erupted in multiple parts of the world. Although it mainly affects poultry, wild birds, and some mammals, it still poses a continuous risk to humans.

This is the World Health Organization logo and the WHO headquarters building captured on May 21, 2023 in Geneva, Switzerland. Photographed by Xinhua News Agency reporter Lian Yi

The communique was jointly issued by the Food and Agriculture Organization, the World Health Organization and the World Organisation for Animal Health. The communique stated that avian influenza viruses are usually transmitted between birds, but reports of infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus in mammals continue to increase. As mammals are biologically closer to humans than birds, this raises concerns that the virus may adapt to new changes and become more susceptible to infection in humans. In addition, some mammals may also serve as "mixed containers" for influenza viruses, leading to the emergence of new viruses that may be more harmful to animals and humans.

Gregorio Torres, head of the Science Department of the World Organisation for Animal Health, said in the bulletin that avian influenza has recently undergone "paradigm changes" in ecology and epidemiology. The virus has spread to new geographical regions, causing unusual deaths of wild birds and an increase in infections of mammals. These situations have aroused great concern around the world.

According to the bulletin, in 2022, more than 60 countries around the world will report to the World Organisation for Animal Health an outbreak of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry and wild birds, resulting in the death or culling of more than 131 million poultry. Since this year, more than 10 countries have reported relevant outbreaks, mainly in the Americas. Among the several reported large-scale deaths of wild birds, the cause of the disease has been confirmed as the H5N1 avian influenza virus strain 2.3.4.4b.

The communique said that since 2022, 10 countries have reported to the World Organisation for Animal Health that mammals have been infected with avian influenza virus. At least 26 species of land and Marine mammal are known to have been infected, including Spanish farmed minks, seals in the United States, and sea lions in Peru and Chile.

The communique stated that since December 2021, there have been 8 reports of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus strain 2.3.4.4b, but such infections are still rare. Most of the discovered infected individuals have had close contact with infected birds and polluted environments. According to the information obtained so far, the virus does not seem to be easily transmitted from person to person, but vigilance is still needed, "said Sylvia Briande, Director of Global Infectious Disease Risk Prevention at the World Health Organization.

WHO is working closely with FAO, the World Organisation for Animal Health and others to monitor the evolution of the virus, while encouraging all countries to improve their ability to monitor the virus and detect human infections.

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