Experts worry that the current unprecedented outbreak of bird flu could cause the virus to change in ways that make it even worse for people.
There are a record number of cases of the deadly H5N1 strain, which has already spread from birds to foxes, otters, and minks.
Top virologists are very worried that the deadly pathogen is now one step closer to spreading in humans. This is a hurdle that has kept it from starting a pandemic so far.
The World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) has now warned that mammals could act as “mixing vessels” for different flu viruses, which could release a new strain that could be “more harmful” to humans.
People who get the H5N1 strain already have a death rate of about 50%.
Since the first case was found in 1997, there have been less than 900 cases in people. This is because it is hard to pass between people.
When Covid first appeared, only 3% of people died from it, while the death rate from Ebola has ranged from 25% to 90% in the past.
Since October 2021, there have been a “never-before-seen” number of cases of avian flu around the world.
The WOAH said yesterday that it has spread to new areas and has had “devastating effects” on both animal health and welfare.
It said that the outbreak threatens global food security and the way of life of people who depend on poultry farming. It is also killing wild birds and some mammals at a “alarming rate,” it said.
This outbreak of bird flu has caused a record number of cases in the UK, which is strange because it usually goes away in the summer.
During this outbreak, nearly 300 confirmed cases of H5N1 in birds have been found in England.
There have also been cases of foxes and otters getting sick with avian flu. It is thought that they got sick after eating dead birds that had the disease.
But there is also worry that the virus might be spreading between mammals. This would mean that it has changed in a way that could make it easier for humans to get sick.
Further testing is still required to determine if mammals are transmitting the virus, however.
The WOAH said: ‘This sparks growing concern about the threat for the health of domestic and wild animals, biodiversity, and potentially for public health.
‘The current situation highlights the risk that H5N1 avian influenza may become better adapted to mammals, and spill over to humans and other animals.
“Also, some mammals, like minks, may act as mixing vessels for different flu viruses, which could lead to the development of new strains and subtypes that could be more dangerous for animals and/or people.”
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control says that the death rate from the bird flu is already around 50% worldwide.
It warned that recent cases among farmed mink are a concern because a spike in infections among mammals in close proximity to each other ‘exacerbates’ the risk of H5N1 becoming better adapted to mammals and people.
The WOAH said that researchers are still looking into how the virus is getting from one mammal to another.
