The H5N1 avian influenza virus, responsible for the ongoing epidemic in dairy cattle in the USA, “so far shows no signs of adaptation to spread among humansbut greater surveillance is necessary”. This was underlined by the director general of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, during the periodic briefing with the press on the hottest health issues at an international level.
“In recent years the H5N1 virus has spread widely among wild birds, poultry, terrestrial and marine mammals, and now among dairy cattle,” the WHO Director General recalled. “Since 2021, 28 human cases of avian influenza have been reported – he highlighted – although no human-to-human transmission has been documented since then.”
“Based on available information – confirmed Tedros – WHO continues to assess the public health risk posed by H5N1 avian influenza as low” for the general population, “and low to moderate for people exposed to infected animals “.
The data
In the avian flu epidemic that broke out in the USA among dairy cattle, “so far 36 farms in 9 states have been infected. Only one human case has been reported“, the worker affected by hemorrhagic conjunctivitis in Texas; “at least 220 people are monitored and at least 30 have been tested. However, many more people have been exposed to infected animals” and are therefore potentially at risk, “and it is important that all those exposed are tested or monitored and receive treatment if necessary”, is the warning launched by the director general of WHO.
“Consume only pasteurized milk”
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus then recalled that the H5N1 avian influenza virus “has been detected in raw milk in the United States, but preliminary tests show that pasteurization kills the virus. WHO’s permanent advice in all countries is to consume pasteurized milk,” he reiterated.
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