The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm about the spread of H5N1 bird flu to humans, raising concerns over its "extraordinarily high" mortality rate in human cases.
Since its emergence in 2020, the virus has caused widespread deaths among poultry, with tens of millions of birds affected. Recent reports indicate that the virus has also spread to various mammal species, including domestic cattle in the US, increasing the risk of human transmission.
Jeremy Farrar, the WHO's chief scientist, expressed concern about the bird flu's potential to spread to humans during a press conference in Geneva. He described the A(H5N1) variant as a "global zoonotic animal pandemic," emphasizing the risk posed by the virus evolving to infect humans and potentially spreading from human to human.
Recent cases of cows and goats being susceptible to the virus, along with reports of a person in Texas recovering from bird flu after contact with dairy cattle, underscore the expanding threat. Additionally, infections in 16 herds across six states were likely due to contact with wild birds.
Although human-to-human transmission hasn't been confirmed, the mortality rate among those infected through animal contact has been alarmingly high due to the lack of natural immunity. From 2023 to April 1 this year, the WHO recorded 463 deaths from 889 human cases across 23 countries, resulting in a case fatality rate of 52 per cent.
The recent case of a man contracting bird flu in Texas highlights the growing risk of the virus spreading to humans. Farrar warned that the virus is actively seeking new hosts and emphasized the need for increased surveillance to track human infections and virus adaptations.
Efforts are underway to develop vaccines and treatments for H5N1, but Farrar stressed the importance of strengthening global health authorities' diagnostic capabilities. He called for equitable access to vaccines, treatments, and diagnostic tools to ensure a rapid response in the event of human-to-human transmission.
