The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for enhanced surveillance of bird flu worldwide, following the first reported case in a child in the United States. Maria Van Kerkhove, WHO’s director for epidemic and pandemic preparedness, highlighted a rise in human infections with H5N1 avian influenza, particularly in recent years.
Van Kerkhove emphasized the need for stronger monitoring in animals, including wild birds, poultry, and other animals susceptible to infection, such as swine and dairy cattle. “What we really need globally, in the US and abroad, is much stronger surveillance in animals: in wild birds, in poultry, in animals that are known to be susceptible to infection,” she said. This would help to better understand how the virus spreads among animals and potentially to humans.
The H5N1 strain of avian influenza first appeared in 1996. Since 2020, bird outbreaks have surged, along with a rise in mammal infections. The virus has caused the death of millions of poultry and infected wild birds and marine mammals. While human cases have been reported in Europe and the US, they have generally been mild.
Last Friday, US officials confirmed the first case of a child testing positive for bird flu in California. The child, who had mild symptoms, was recovering at home after receiving flu antivirals. Health authorities also provided checks and preventive treatment to people at the child’s daycare center. “Including this most recent case, 55 human cases of H5 bird flu have now been reported in the United States during 2024, with 29 in California,” said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Although the virus has affected a small number of people, health officials believe the risk to the general public is low. However, those working closely with animals, including livestock, are at higher risk. “We have not seen evidence of human-to-human infection,” Van Kerkhove stated. However, she stressed the need for thorough investigations into each case.
Van Kerkhove also emphasized the importance of reducing the risk of transmission from animals to humans through better testing, protective equipment, and surveillance. As the WHO’s former Covid-19 technical lead, she underscored the need to be prepared for any future flu pandemics. “We’re not in that situation yet, but we do need more vigilance,” she concluded.
