Mammals increasingly contaminated by bird flu, may pose risk to humans

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Jul 2023 09:42

The agency called on the international community to increase influenza surveillance and report detected cases as soon as possible.

Municipal workers collect dead pelicans on Santa Maria beach in Lima, Peru, November 22, 2022, as thousands of birds died in November along the Pacific in Peru from bird flu (AP)

On Wednesday, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned that mammals are becoming increasingly contaminated by avian influenza -- also known as the bird flu -- thus posing a serious risk to human health.

"The current outbreaks of avian influenza (also called ‘bird flu’) have caused devastation in animal populations, including poultry, wild birds, and some mammals, and harmed farmers’ livelihoods and the food trade. Although largely affecting animals, these outbreaks pose ongoing risks to humans," the WHO said in a statement.

Ongoing avian influenza (#BirdFlu) outbreaks in animals pose risks to humans too - countries should work together and across sectors of society, to protect people and save as many animals as possible https://t.co/dzuLv6vq31 pic.twitter.com/fMlOVnqkSY
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) July 12, 2023

According to WHO Director of Epidemic and Pandemic Preparedness and Prevention Sylvie Briand, it is not so easy for the virus to be transmitted from one person to another. This, however, does not rule out the necessity of remaining cautious as any evolution in the virus must be monitored to assess whether or not mutations could pose a danger to human health.

The agency called on the international community to increase influenza surveillance and report detected cases as soon as possible.