As the world tries to emerge from the covid-19 pandemic, the last thing anyone probably wants to hear is talk of another contagion.
Many people are fed up with wearing masks and practicing social distancing--assuming they did either one in the first place. And talk of vaccines can easily ignite heated exchanges.
DON'T MISS: Florida and Texas Have Better Credit Ratings Than California, But They Pay Higher Interest
Yet, health officials are indeed warning about another possible outbreak. This time its avian influenza, or bird flu, an infectious type of influenza that primarily spreads among birds.
However, there are concerns the disease could spread to humans and have devastating effects.
A report from the World Health Organization found that between January 2003 to November 2022, there have been 868 cases of human infection with H5N1 avian influenza, more than half of which were fatal.
Fears of Spill Over to Humans
The World Organization for Animal Health said on Feb. 13 that since October 2021, "an unprecedented number of outbreaks" bird flu have been reported in several regions of the world, "reaching new geographical areas and causing devastating impacts on animal health and welfare."
The organization said the disease puts global food security and the livelihoods of those who depend on poultry farming at risk.
"The current situation highlights the risk that H5N1 avian influenza may become better adapted to mammals, and spill over to humans and other animals," the group said.
Some mammals, such as mink, the organization said, may act as "mixing vessels" for different influenza viruses, leading to the emergence of new strains and subtypes that could be more harmful to animals and humans.
The increasing number of case has sparked "growing concern about the threat for the health of domestic and wild animals, biodiversity, and potentially for public health."
"Recently reported infections in farmed mink are a concern because infections of large numbers of mammals kept in close proximity of each other exacerbate this risk," the group said.
Bird flu is believed to have killed nearly 600 sea lions off the coast of Peru, the country’s natural areas protection agency said, along with 55,000 wild birds in recent weeks.
Some wild birds can carry bird flu viruses without appearing sick, but poultry, like chickens and turkeys, can get very sick and die from bird flu, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
Outbreak Drives Up Egg Prices
The CDC said it is monitoring these viruses to look for genetic changes that suggest they might spread more easily to and among people.
In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said avian flu outbreaks reduced egg production and drove prices to record highs in 2022.
U.S. egg inventories were 29% lower in the final week of December than at the beginning of the year
By the end of December, more than 43 million egg-laying hens were lost to the disease itself or to depopulation since the outbreak began in February, the department said.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said earlier this month that the recent spillover to mammals “needs to be monitored closely.”
He said said that over the past few weeks there have been several reports of mammals including mink, otters foxes and sea lions being infected with H5N1.
Ghebreyesus said H5N1 first emerged in 1996 and scientists have only seen rare and non-sustained transmission of H5N1 to and between humans.
"But we cannot assume that will remain the case, and we must prepare for any change in the status quo," he said.
He said the WHO is also continuing to engage with manufacturers to make sure that if needed supplies of vaccines and antivirals would be available for global use.
