The recent spread of H5N1 influenza, also known as bird flu, to mammals must be monitored, but the risk to people remains minimal, according to the World Health Organization on Wednesday. H5N1 has spread among poultry and wild birds for 25 years, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in a video briefing, but the recent instances of infections in mink, otters, and sea lions “need to be monitored closely”.
Human cases of H5N1 had been infrequent since the flu strain first appeared in 1996
He stated that the risk to people was still modest, noting that human cases had been infrequent since the flu strain first appeared in 1996. “But we cannot assume that will remain the case and we must prepare for any change in the status quo,” Tedros said.
He warned people not to approach dead or sick wild animals and instead to report them to local and national authorities who were monitoring the issue. According to him, the WHO also advised enhancing surveillance in areas where humans and animals interact. (wbctx.com)
“WHO is also continuing to engage with manufacturers to make sure that, if needed, supplies of vaccines and antivirals would be available for global use,” he said. (Jennifer Rigby and Gabrielle Tetrault-Farber contributed reporting, while Kevin Liffey and Alex Richardson edited the piece.)
