The H5N1 virus, commonly called bird fluspreads among poultry and birds for 25 yearsexplained Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), during a virtual briefing with journalists. During this conference, the director of the WHO mentioned the spread of the bird flu virus and the concern that it will spread to humans.
Avian flu: the hypothesis of human-to-human transmission
If this avian flu pandemic has existed for many years among birds, it has grown considerably lately. At the end of December 2022, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) spoke of an epidemic “largest ever observed in Europe“. If we take the case of France, the country experienced the worst wave of the virus in summer 2022 and had to slaughter approximately 20 million chickens, turkeys and ducks. A few months later, in December 2022, the contaminations have stronglyincreased with 217 outbreaks of bird flu listed to December 20, once morest 100 at the beginning of the month.
Beyond a multiplication of cases, the virus spreads to other species. Previously confined to poultry and birds, the flu now infects many other species. In October 2022, more than 50,000 mink were slaughtered on a farm in Spain following cases of avian flu were detected there. This contamination to other animals worries the authorities, who fear that eventually spread to humans, due to mutations.
H5N1 flu: WHO calls for vigilance
If the hypothesis of a spread to humans begins to appear, the EFSA remains positive: “The risk of infection is low for the general human population in the Union, and low to medium for people exposed through their occupation.”
This risk does not remain impossible. “Recent transmissions to mammals should be closely monitored“, declared Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the president of the WHO. “At the moment, the organism assesses the risk to humans as low. Since the appearance of the virus in 1996, transmission of H5N1 to and between humans has been rare and unsustainable. But we cannot assume that will remain the case, and we must be prepared for any change in the status quo.“
The researchers therefore believe thatyou have to be careful. Thus, they recommend to take precautionsin particular by avoiding all contact with wild mammals and birds.
In front of the hypothesis of contamination to humans et at the risk of a new pandemic bird flu, the director of the WHO calls for vigilance and preparation for a potential pandemic. “WHO also continues to engage with manufacturers to ensure that, if necessary, supplies of vaccines and antivirals would be available for global use“, he concludes.
