A person in England has caught avian flu as the virus spreads among birds
A second person in the UK has caught the H5N1 bird flu on a farm in the West Midlands, but the risk to the public is still very low, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
This is only the second time a person has shown symptoms of H5N1 bird flu in the UK, with the first case reported in 2022.
The person got infected after coming into contact with many sick birds on a farm. Authorities call it a “very rare event.”
Professor Susan Hopkins from the UKHSA said the risk of bird flu spreading to the public is still very low, despite this case.
Since 2021, there have been seven cases of bird flu in humans in England. All of these people had direct contact with infected birds. Two of them showed symptoms, while the others didn’t have any.
The person who is currently sick was admitted to a special hospital unit and is doing well. The case was found through routine checks on people who had contact with infected birds.
There is no evidence that bird flu has spread from one person to another. Health officials are testing everyone who had contact with the infected person.
Hopkins said: “We have strong systems in place to find cases early and take the necessary steps, as we know that infections from birds to humans can happen.”
Health officials are worried about bird flu infections in humans. Since the start of last year, the US has reported 67 confirmed human cases of bird flu, mostly in people working on poultry or dairy farms. Most of these cases were mild and didn’t pose a big risk to the general public. However, this month, the US reported its first death from the virus in Louisiana. Since September, China has had 10 cases, and Vietnam has had one.
Bird flu can spread from birds to people, but it usually requires close contact, so the risk to humans is low. There have been no cases of people passing the virus to other people in the UK or Europe.
Christine Middlemiss, the UK’s chief veterinary officer, said: “While bird flu spreads easily among birds, it’s very rare for it to spread in this way and only happens under certain conditions. We acted quickly to stop the spread at the affected site, culled all infected birds, and will clean and disinfect the premises using strict biosecurity standards.”
The case happened three days after the whole of England and Scotland was declared a bird flu safety zone, with strict rules for cleaning around birds. The government said this was due to the increasing number of bird flu cases and the ongoing risk from wild birds. Some areas in eastern England have even stricter rules, and all birds will need to be kept in cages.
“We are seeing more bird flu cases in both commercial farms and small backyard flocks across the country,” said Middlemiss. “Following strict safety measures will help protect your birds from bird flu and other diseases.”
The government advises people not to touch sick or dead birds and to report any possible bird flu cases. Andrew Gwynne, the minister for public health, said: “The safety of the public is our top priority, and we are keeping a close watch on the situation.”
“We’ve added a vaccine for bird flu to our stockpile as part of our preparation,” he said.
Published: 28th January 2025
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