This is H5N1 Global Scan: Avian Flu Worldwide, your three-minute international focus on the global avian influenza crisis as of July 2025.
The avian influenza A(H5N1) virus continues its rapid spread across continents. Since 2020, severe outbreaks have been reported in every continent except Australia, resulting in massive losses among wild and domestic birds and a growing number of spillover events in mammals, including humans. The Pan American Health Organization notes that between 2020 and 2024, H5N1 swept from Europe and Asia, through the major waterfowl flyways, into the Americas, triggering animal outbreaks in at least 14 countries in this region alone. Globally, the World Health Organization has tracked more than 890 human infections since 2003, with a striking 48% case fatality rate among confirmed cases just this year.
Here’s a quick continental snapshot. In the Americas, Mexico reported its first human cases in April, and the United States saw an uptick among poultry and dairy workers, alongside unprecedented infections in domestic cattle. South America, Canada, and the United States all faced significant animal culling and economic consequences.
Across Europe, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports over 300 outbreaks in wild and domestic birds and 20 new human cases since March, resulting in four deaths. Asia remains a critical hotspot, with Cambodia and India both reporting fatal human cases tied to poultry exposure. Africa, though reporting fewer outbreaks, faces ongoing surveillance challenges and a risk of underreporting.
International research collaborations are accelerating. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) leads the global animal health effort, supporting field research and modeling to predict virus evolution. Computational modeling of H5N1’s genetic variants is providing valuable insights for vaccine targeting, particularly as the virus adapts in new animal hosts.
Both the WHO and FAO call for enhanced surveillance and transparent reporting. The WHO emphasizes that while the overall public risk remains low, increasing mammal-to-mammal transmission, including the recent dairy cow outbreaks in the US, demands urgent monitoring and rapid international data sharing. The FAO, meanwhile, is pushing for rapid diagnostics and improved farm biosecurity on a global scale.
Cross-border spread has devastated international trade, with bans or restrictions on poultry exports affecting livelihoods in Europe, Asia, and the Americas. The US poultry industry culled millions of birds recently, resulting in significant egg shortages. In Asia and Europe, precautionary trade halts ripple through food supply chains.
On the vaccine front, several governments, including the European Union and the US, have accelerated stockpiling and testing of candidate vaccines, but global supply remains limited. Veterinary vaccines for poultry are rolling out in some areas, though challenges remain with distribution and matching to rapidly evolving viral strains.
National containment approaches vary. The US relies on aggressive culling, surveillance, and farm closures. Europe emphasizes monitoring and rapid diagnostics, especially along bird migration routes. Asian nations focus on community engagement, live market management, and early human case detection.
Avian flu’s global reach underscores the need for international coordination, research, and preparedness. With animals, people, and trade all at risk, experts agree: only global cooperation can keep the threat in check.
Thanks for tuning in to H5N1 Global Scan: Avian Flu Worldwide. Come back next week for more vital updates on Quiet Please—a Quiet Please production. For more, check out QuietPlease Dot A I.
For more http://www.quietplease.ai
Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta
続きを読む
一部表示