Deadly virus strain from poultry becomes a new pandemic concern

There is an outbreak of a large strain of bird flu virus, H5N1. Researchers confirm that this virus can infect many different species.

According to Open Access Government, scientists believe that H5N1 has the potential to cause a global outbreak of bird flu , mainly in wild birds. They fear the H5N1 strain will become "one of the dangerous strains".

Avian flu is affecting many mammal species. (Photo: WILX).

Since the late 1990s, H5N1 avian influenza has caused many sporadic outbreaks. This strain originated from intensive poultry farms in Asia, then spread throughout the world.

This virus circulates in some bird species. However, H5N1 has now spread to mammals (including wild and captive mammals).

The World Organization for Animal Health reports an increasing number of cases of mammals in Western countries being infected and dying from the H5N1 virus.

In the UK, over the past two years, bird flu has impacted and affected 65 wild bird species. Similarly, according to records kept by the US Department of Agriculture, in 2022 and 2023, this country has detected bird flu in crows, storks, robins, crows, owls and many other bird species.

Currently, the spread of the H5N1 virus also affects egg and poultry prices in Western countries . Besides, this virus is sounding the alarm about another human pandemic.

To deal with the current bird flu epidemic, the UK and US governments have planned to deploy bird flu vaccines . France also plans to start vaccinating farmed poultry in September.

Elsewhere, Ecuador has also announced plans to vaccinate 2 million people.

Gov.UK information that poultry infected with the H5N1 virus may include signs such as: sudden death, head swelling, closed eyes, watery eyes, eating less than normal, lying down, unresponsive, drooping wings, head twisting into the neck, bleeding, discolored or loose stools, stopping or significantly reducing egg production.

To date, scientists have identified 5 strains of bird flu that have infected humans including H5N1, H6N1, H7N9, H9N2 and H10N3. Among them, the H5N1 strain is said to be the strongest and cause the most damage.

According to Wired magazine, the H5N1 virus first spread from birds to humans in 1997 in Hong Kong (China), sickening 18 people, 6 of whom died.

Since then, variants of H5N1 have periodically infected humans every year. As of 2022, the World Health Organization recorded 868 cases of avian influenza in humans and 457 deaths.

The death rate from bird flu in humans is 52%. Although this rate is high, the virus is still not strong enough to easily spread from person to person and create large outbreaks.