WHO Urges Sri Lanka to Stay Concerned Over Bird Flu
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a stark warning to Sri Lankan authorities, stressing the need to ramp up vigilance against avian influenza or bird flu in humans, a threat that has already been detected in neighbouring countries such as India.
Bird flu, also known as avian influenza, is a contagious virus that mainly affects birds but can also infect other animals and humans. It can be caused by various strains of influenza viruses, with the H5 subtype being particularly significant due to its ability to cause severe outbreaks.
The primary strains of avian influenza include H5, H7, H9, and H10, while the main strains infecting humans are H5N1, H5N8 (less commonly), H7N9, H7N2, H7N3, H7N7, H9N2, and H10N8. The H5N1 and H7N9 strains are especially severe, often resulting in high mortality rates, whereas H9N2 and H10N8 typically lead to milder illnesses. Ongoing surveillance is crucial due to the risk of these viruses mutating and potentially causing pandemics.
In West Bengal in India a child was reported infected with the avian influenza A(H9N2) virus,. This incident marks only the second known case of H9N2 in humans in India, the first being recorded in 2019. The affected child had been exposed to poultry but has since recovered.
In May 2024, Australia confirmed its first human case of bird flu, specifically the H5N1 strain, involving a child who had recently travelled from India. In the same year, the United States reported three human cases of H5N1 bird flu linked to direct contact with infected dairy cows in Texas and Michigan. There was no evidence of human-to-human transmission in these instances.
Meanwhile, Dr Jude Jayamaha, a Consultant Virologist at the Medical Research Institute (MRI), expressed concern about the various avian influenza strains due to their potential to mutate and adapt to new hosts, including humans.
Dr Jayamaha said, “Sri Lanka has developed the capacity to detect H9, H7, and H5 bird flu cases in humans. Additionally, our routine influenza surveillance at sentinel site hospitals is equipped to identify any suspected cases of bird flu in humans.
He also said that birds could transmit the virus through their saliva, mucus, and faeces, making it possible for humans or animals to become infected through close, unprotected contact with infected birds or contaminated environments.
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