Alarming spread of avian flu calls for strong global response 🌏

[Tedday2223]

Last April, the chief scientist of the World Health Organization (WHO) raised concerns about the ability of the H5N1, the avian influenza virus, to spread from poultry and wildfowl to mammals after it was detected in dairy cows in North America and even otters and foxes in the United Kingdom. Dr. Jeremy Farrar now sees H5N1 evolving into a virus that can infect humans on a mass scale. Cases of humans contracting H5N1 have been reported but are confined largely in Southeast Asia, where avian flu has been prevalent. It is the next phase that Dr. Farrar is most worried about — human-to-human transmission. Last week, WHO confirmed the first human case of avian flu in Australia — a 2-year-old girl who had returned last month from a trip to India, where the virus had infected birds. In just two months, Dr. Farrar's dreaded scenario may already be playing out. The child has made a full recovery after being hospitalized, and WHO said "no close family contacts in Australia or India had developed symptoms." Still, how the patient got infected remains a mystery; she "did not have any known exposure to sick persons or animals while in India," WHO said.​

 

[iwannabeatutubi]

The spread of H5N1 avian influenza to mammals, with potential for human transmission, highlights the need for swift global action . Vigilance, surveillance, and international cooperation are crucial in mitigating the risk of a pandemic.

 

[yenyung]

H5N1 is concerning! Human-to-human spread could be risky. Stay informed and safe.

 

[Xeth_]

The avian flu is like a world tour no one wants tickets for – here's hoping for a global response that puts this unwelcome guest in its place!