A new report reveals a troublesome shift in outbreaks of bird flu. The report shows that outbreaks, previously confined largely to Asia, are now occurring in different regions of the world and affecting larger numbers of poultry. And that poses several threats to humans.
A new study, made in conjunction by experts from Australian and Asian universities and published in Springer Nature, reveals new outbreaks of the virus in Europe and Africa.
"It's always been the fear that one day, one of these highly pathogenic avian flu viruses will mutate to become easily transmitted between humans. And there's a lot of red flags around one particular clade, as we call it, of the H5N1 that's been spreading in the last year or two."Professor Michael Ward is Chair of Veterinary Public Health & Food Safety at The University of Sydney.
"Trying to control the disease led to a lack of poultry products. A lack of meat and eggs. So, it had that consequence, the supply dried up very quickly because the authorities were trying to control the disease. So, that's the problem. The disease also can be quite devastating when it gets into poultry flocks. It can kill a lot of birds. So you also have that impact as well."Dr David Muscatello is an epidemiology expert with the University of New South Wales.
"It presents with typical, influenza-like illness, so high fever, feeling really unwell, aches and pains, respiratory symptoms like cough and shortness of breath."
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