WHO Alerts on Increase in H5N1 Cases, Reports ET HealthWorld

In a recent development, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised concerns about the spread of H5N1 bird flu to humans, with an alarmingly high mortality rate. The outbreak, which began in 2020, has resulted in the deaths of millions of poultry, as well as wild birds, and marine and land mammals. WHO’s chief scientist, Jeremy Farrar, has stated that this situation remains a significant worry.

The A (H5N1) strain has now become a global zoonotic animal pandemic, with the potential to evolve and infect humans, although human-to-human transmission has not yet been observed. Surprisingly, cows and goats have recently been added to the list of susceptible animals, raising concerns among experts.

Since 2023 until April 1 of this year, WHO has reported 463 deaths out of 889 human cases across 23 countries, with a fatality rate of 52 percent. A recent case in Texas, where a person contracted bird flu after being exposed to dairy cattle, marks the second case in the US and the first human infection from contact with an infected mammal.

The UN has urged for enhanced monitoring to grasp the scope of human infections and prepare for potential virus adaptation. Efforts are underway to develop vaccines and therapeutics for H5N1, with a focus on enhancing global capacity for virus diagnosis. The goal is to be adequately prepared for the possibility of H5N1 crossing over to humans and spreading person-to-person.