WHO spokesperson Dr. Margaret Harris told reporters in Geneva that the H5N1 virus that causes the disease is “does not circulate in people, but jumps into people” which is exposed to poultry or dairy cattle. “We don’t see sustained circulation,” she insisted.
Underlying conditions
The man who died of the disease in Louisiana was over 65 and reportedly had underlying medical conditions, Dr. Harris.
According to the health authorities, he had been exposed to chickens and wild birds. Several dozen people in the United States have contracted bird flu — commonly referred to as bird flu — during the current outbreak, mostly farm workers in close contact with poultry flocks and cattle herds.
Dr. Harris stressed that the WHO’s assessment of the risk to the general population “is still low and remains firm”. The biggest concern is for people who work in the animal industry because they need to be better protected against infection.
The WHO spokesman added that the United States continued to carry out “a lot of surveillance” of humans and animals, “in the methods we use for agriculture, for our food production … all these things must be combined because it is actually always a risk ”.
China respiratory virus is not new
Meanwhile, a respiratory virus emerging in China, known as human metapneumovirus, or hMPV, has attracted media attention in recent weeks, but it does not represent a new or major threat, insisted Dr. Harris.
The UN health agency spokesman said such infections are increasing in China “as expected in winter”, with seasonal flu being “by far the most common among them”, as reported by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
“China’s reported levels of respiratory infections are within the usual range for the winter season,” explained Dr. Harris. “Authorities report that hospital utilization is currently lower than this time last year, and no emergency declarations or reactions have been triggered” she added.
As for hMPV, it was first identified in 2001 and “has been in the human population for a long time”, clarified Dr. Harris.
‘Very, very low’ risk
She added that it is a common virus that circulates in winter and spring and usually “causes respiratory symptoms similar to the common cold”.
Like any of the hundreds of common cold viruses known to exist, it can lead to more severe illness in immunocompromised patients, especially but not limited to newborns and the elderly.
Asked about hMPV’s lethality, Dr. Harris it as “very, very low”. It is not a pathogen that usually leads to death in humans, except for the most vulnerable, she concluded, recommending “simple” preventive measures, such as wearing a mask, improving the ventilation of closed spaces and hand washing.
