The evolution of avian influenza in the Asia-Pacific region, with increasingly frequent transmissions to humans and the emergence of a new variant of the virus, is becoming " alarming", warned the United Nations agency for agriculture (FAO) on July 25.
"New challenges"
“ After a prolonged period of limited human infections, 13 new human cases have been reported in Cambodia, with additional cases in China and Vietnam since late 2023.", the agency explains in a press release. " The situation is further complicated by the emergence of a new variant of avian influenza, which presents new challenges for scientists, public health authorities, physicians and communities alike.", the organization added. It calls on the authorities in the area to act." Instantaneously " to combat the spread of the disease.
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Infections as far as Antarctica
The H5N1 virus first appeared in 1996, but the number of outbreaks in birds has increased exponentially since 2020, in parallel with the increase in the number of infected mammals, including dairy cows and walruses.
While bird flu has declined significantly in Europe this spring compared to previous years, infections are increasing in other parts of the world, including Antarctica, the European health agency EFSA reported in early July. In Asia, India, Nepal and Bangladesh are currently experiencing outbreaks of bird flu, the FAO said. The entire Mekong Basin region, Indonesia and the Philippines are under increased surveillance due to their diverse ecological landscapes and limited biosecurity measures.", the organization also indicates.
FAO is calling on countries in the region to respond in a coordinated manner, including deploying rapid diagnostic solutions and analyzing data on the virus, as well as taking measures to protect livestock such as vaccination and disinfection of boots.
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