Dr Madhur Dhingra of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Tuesday that the H5N1 virus is mutating and is now spreading to wildlife. In the past three years, cases of infection have been reported in 108 countries located on five continents.
To date, infections have been reported in more than 500 bird species and at least 70 mammal species, including polar bears and the California condor.
According to the UN agency, avian influenza is expected to pose a serious threat to food and nutrition security in the region, which is heavily dependent on poultry sources for protein.
Dr. Dhingra warned that the livelihoods of billions of people have been affected by the virus. This increases the economic burden on farmers and may affect their ability to invest adequately in biosecurity measures.
Following the emergence of H5N1 infections in dairy cattle, the United Nations Health Organization called for enhanced surveillance and biosecurity in farm facilities to ensure animal and human safety.
The WHO believes 76 people have been infected with H5N1 this year, most of them farm or ranch workers. More than 60 of these cases have been reported in the Americas, where there are outbreaks of H5N1 in wildlife and poultry.
Infections have also been confirmed in Australia, Canada, China, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Low risk to humans
Dr. Maria van Kerkhove, WHO’s head of epidemic management, said that through the latest scientific analysis, the current risk to the general population has been assessed and this risk is currently low.
However, the risk of working on farms and being exposed to infected animals is low to moderate. It also depends on taking preventive measures.
Currently, there is no evidence of a mutation in the H5N1 virus that would allow it to spread from person to person, and no such cases have been reported.
However, he cautioned that complacency should be avoided as the situation could change quickly. The virus is changing rapidly and one needs to be prepared for any such possibility.
In view of this, a detailed investigation is requested in every case of person-to-person transmission. Also, it is important to consume pasteurized milk after drinking or heating it.