A TEENAGER woman has died after tesing postive for H5N1 fowl flu, in accordance with the World Well being Organisation (WHO).
The 15-year-old from Cambodia, handed away on August 20 after creating flu-like signs and respiratory points.
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The worldwide well being physique are actually warning individuals to take further precautions whereas round birds, as circumstances of the bug proceed to creep up.
Whereas the virus sometimes solely impacts fowl species, it may be transmitted to animals, together with people.
Fears have been raised in recent times as a result of an outbreak of the brand new H5N1 pressure, which has seen a lot of animals, together with cow, penguins, a polar bear, foxes and even people.
Some 907 individuals have been contaminated with H5N1 up to now 20 years – and over half (464) of those died.
Cambodia appears to be particularly affected, with ten individuals contracting the bug within the final 12 months – two of whom died.
The younger woman, from the from the Prey Veng province in southern Cambodia, first developed a fever on August 11, in accordance with native well being stories.
Six days later she was rushed to hospital with a cough, sore throat and respiratory points.
Medical doctors recognized her with a extreme acute respiratory an infection and prescribed given anti-virals to assist deal with it.
She died simply three days later, with WHO officers claiming there have been stories of “lifeless poultry” seen within the village 5 days earlier than her signs devepled.
The household got chickens to cook dinner, which the woman may need been uncovered to whereas prepping, they stated.
In a brand new warning issued to assist preserve the general public secure from the escaling menace of fowl flu, the WHO is urging individuals to keep away from “excessive threat areas” and preserve “good hand hygiene”.
“The general public ought to keep away from contact with high-risk environments, comparable to dwell animal markets/farms and dwell poultry or surfaces that is perhaps contaminated by poultry droppings,” they stated,
“Moreover, sustaining good hand hygiene by frequent hand washing with cleaning soap or utilizing alcohol-based hand sanitiser is beneficial.
“Most of the people and at-risk people ought to instantly report cases of sickness or sudden deaths in animals to veterinary authorities,” they added.
“Dealing with sick or unexpectedly lifeless poultry together with slaughtering, butchering, and getting ready such poultry for consumption, ought to be prevented.”
Mutation fears
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There are lots of totally different fowl flu strains, however the 4 of highest concern are H5N1, H7N9, H5N6 and H5N8, in accordance with the NHS.
There’s nonetheless no proof that fowl flu might be transmitted between individuals.
Nonetheless, consultants worry the sheer scale of the present unfold may give the virus extra alternatives to mutate, enabling H5N1 to higher unfold and bounce between in people.
This has lead some scientists now imagine the virus could possibly be the following pandemic.
Hen flu: Might or not it’s the following human pandemic?
BY Isabel Shaw, well being reporter
BIRD flu is operating rampant in wildlife world wide and is now spreading in cows.
This improve in transmission has given the virus a lot of alternatives to mutate – a course of the place a pathogen modifications and may change into extra harmful.
Scientists worry it is solely a matter of time earlier than one in every of these mutations makes it higher at spreading amongst mammals – and doubtlessly people.
Some consultants imagine the virus may already be spreading amongst some animal species.
Up to now, there is no such thing as a proof that H5N1 can unfold between people.
However within the lots of of circumstances the place people have been contaminated by contact with animals over the previous 20 years, the mortality price is excessive.
From 2003 to 2024, 889 circumstances and 463 deaths brought on by H5N1 have been reported worldwide from 23 nations, in accordance with the World Well being Organisation.
This places the case fatality price at 52 per cent.
Main scientists have already warned an influenza is the pathogen most probably to set off a brand new pandemic within the close to future.
The prospect of a flu pandemic is alarming.
Though scientists have identified that vaccines in opposition to many strains, together with H5N1, have already been developed, others are nonetheless within the pipeline.
What’s the UK doing about it?
There isn’t any human fowl flu jab in the marketplace, however the UK authorities is alleged to be drawing up plans to stockpile common flu vaccine in case of a pandemic.
It might be the primary time it has been completed for the illness, thought to be a prime menace for the following world well being emergency.
There have been 5 confirmed circumstances of fowl flu within the UK since 2022.
The chance seems greater within the far east, with two deaths in Cambodia and at the very least one “cluster” of circumstances that raised fears of human-to-human transmission.
In authorities steerage issued final month, Brits have been suggested to remain at the very least two meters away from wild birds due to fowl flu fears.
Individuals ought to keep away from all contact with wild birds, which incorporates pigeons, swans, and seagulls, UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) officers stated.
