Bird flu situation 'worrying'; WHO working with Cambodia
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[February 25, 2023]
By Jennifer Rigby
LONDON (Reuters) -The World Health Organization is working with
Cambodian authorities after two confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu
were found among one family in the country.
Describing the situation as "worrying" due to the recent rise in cases
in birds and mammals, Dr Sylvie Briand, the director of epidemic and
pandemic preparedness and prevention, told reporters in a virtual
briefing that WHO was reviewing its global risk assessment in light of
the recent developments.
The U.N. health agency last assessed the risk to humans from avian flu
as low earlier this month.
Cambodian authorities on Thursday reported the death of an 11-year old
girl due to H5N1, and began testing 12 of her contacts. Her father, who
had been showing symptoms, has also tested positive for the virus.
"The global H5N1 situation is worrying given the wide spread of the
virus in birds around the world and the increasing reports of cases in
mammals including humans," Briand said. "WHO takes the risk from this
virus seriously and urges heightened vigilance from all countries."
Briand said it was not yet clear whether there had been any
human-to-human transmission, which was a key reason to focus on the
cases in Cambodia, or if the two cases were due to the "same
environmental conditions," likely close contact with infected birds or
other animals.
A new strain of H5N1, clade 2.3.4.4b, emerged in 2020 and has been
causing record numbers of deaths among wild birds and domestic poultry
in recent months. It has also infected mammals, raising global concerns.
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The World Health Organization logo is
pictured at the entrance of the WHO building, in Geneva,
Switzerland, December 20, 2021. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse/
However, unlike earlier outbreaks of
H5N1, which has been around for more than two decades, this subtype
is not causing significant illness in people. So far, only about a
half dozen cases have been reported to the WHO in people who had
close contact with infected birds, and most of those have been mild.
Experts have suggested that the virus might need to change in order
for human transmission to occur.
However, WHO said it was stepping up preparedness
efforts regardless, and noted that there were antivirals available,
as well as 20 licensed pandemic vaccines if the situation changes,
although they would have to be updated to more closely match the
circulating strain of H5N1 if needed.
That could take four to five months, said Richard Webby, director of
the WHO Collaborating Center for Studies on the Ecology of Influenza
in Animals and Birds at St. Jude Children's Hospital. However, some
stockpiled vaccines would be available in the meantime.
WHO-affiliated labs already hold two flu virus strains that are
closely related to the circulating H5N1 virus, which manufacturers
can use to develop new shots if needed. A global meeting of flu
experts this week suggested developing another strain that more
closely matches H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4b, Webby told the briefing.
(Reporting by Jennifer Rigby; editing by Jon Boyle, Jason Neely and
Tomasz Janowski)
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