Stronger Animal Surveillance Needed to Combat Bird Flu Spread, According to WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the urgent need for enhanced monitoring of H5N1 bird flu in animals to limit its spread and prevent potential risks to humans. Speaking at a virtual press conference, WHO epidemiologist Maria Van Kerkhove stressed the importance of tracking the virus in animals prone to infection, such as poultry and wild birds.

“What we really need globally, in the U.S. and abroad, is much stronger surveillance in animals, in wild birds, in poultry, in animals that are known to be susceptible to infection,” said Kerkhove. She highlighted that preventing the virus from spreading to new animal species and humans is crucial.

Collaborating with the World Organization for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization, the WHO aims to boost global surveillance efforts. Recent findings have raised concerns, such as the detection of H5N1 in a pig on a small Oregon farm. Pigs are particularly worrisome as they can harbor both avian and human viruses, potentially mixing genes to create a more transmissible and dangerous strain.

The risk of avian influenza to the general population remains low, according to Kerkhove. However, the CDC reports 55 human cases of H5N1 in the U.S. this year, primarily among farm workers exposed to infected poultry or cattle. While no evidence of person-to-person transmission has been recorded, those working closely with animals are considered at higher risk.

Latest Petitions to Sign:

• Petition: Help Shut Down Zoo in England That Has a Long History of Animal Abuse and Neglect
• Petition: Help Enshrine the Amazon Rainforest’s Right to Exist into Law
• Petition: Urge SeaQuest to Shut Down Remaining Locations and Send Animals to Sanctuaries
• Petition: Help Send Escaped Lab Monkeys to a Sanctuary
• Petition: Help Pass Pennsylvania Bill That Protects Pets from Domestic Violence
• Petition: Investigate Woman Who Stuffed Dead Dogs in ‘Caskets Boxes’ and in a Freezer
• Petition: Tell the Scottish and UK Governments to Ban the Public Sale of Fireworks to Protect Animals
• Petition: Tell the EU to Ban Single-Use Disposable Vapes
• Petition: Justice for Thousands of Workers in Saudi Arabia Who Have Died or Gone Missing
• Petition: Tell Hawaii to Follow California’s Lead and Ban Octopus Farming

Related Content:

• California Issues Warning Over Raw Milk Contaminated with Bird Flu
• California Investigates Potential Bird Flu Case in Child
• Canada Reports First Human Case of Bird Flu in Teenager
• Bird Flu Crisis Worsens in the EU

Easy Ways to Help the Planet:

• Eat Less Meat: Download Food Monster, the largest plant-based Recipe app on the App Store, to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy. You can also buy a hard or soft copy of our favorite vegan cookbooks.
• Adopt-a-Pet: Visit WildWatchers, a watchdog platform specifically designed for animal, earth, and wildlife warriors to actively give back, rescue, and protect animals and the planet.
• Reduce Your Fast Fashion Footprint: Take initiative by standing up against fast fashion Pollution and supporting sustainable and circular brands like Tiny Rescue that raise awareness around important issues through recycled zero-waste clothing designed to be returned and remade over and over again.
• Support Independent Media: Being publicly funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high-quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!
• Sign a Petition: Your voice matters! Help turn petitions into victories by signing the latest list of must-sign petitions to help people, animals, and the planet.
• Stay Informed: Keep up with the latest news and important stories involving animals, the environment, sustainable living, food, health, and human interest topics by subscribing to our newsletter!
• Do What You Can: Reduce waste, plant trees, eat local, travel responsibly, reuse stuff, say no to single-use plastics, recycle, vote smart, switch to cold water laundry, divest from fossil fuels, save water, shop wisely, Donate if you can, grow your food, volunteer, conserve energy, compost, and don’t forget about the microplastics and microbeads lurking in common household and personal care products!