Bird flu outbreak reaches unprecedented levels globally

The United Nations agency has issued a warning about the ongoing spread of bird flu, saying it is unprecedented. This alert came during a conference held in Rome by key members of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The FAO stated that the virus is now spreading to other mammals, which raises the need for countries to enhance biosecurity and monitoring efforts. Godfrey Magwenzi, the FAO’s director of cabinet, emphasized that this situation poses serious threats to food security, rural jobs, and local economies, leading to increased consumer prices. Since 2021, avian flu has spread to all five continents, impacting over 528 bird species. It is currently found in 124 countries, resulting in the deaths of 47 million wild birds. In response, more than 600 million domestic birds have been culled to control the outbreak. While bird flu typically does not infect humans, there have been rare cases. From 2003 to 2024, the World Health Organization reported 954 human cases, resulting in 464 deaths. A recent case in the U.S. involved a man from Louisiana who died after coming into contact with sick birds. Beth Bechdol, the FAO’s deputy director general, called the threat of avian influenza urgent and a major global concern. She highlighted its negative impact on farmers, food security, economies, and consumers. Farmers have had to cull millions of birds, leading to egg shortages and rising prices, especially in the U.S. Although Canadian egg prices remain stable, there are concerns about potential increases due to the outbreak. Bechdol stated that the spread of avian influenza is not just an agricultural issue but a public health risk as well. Experts warned that as the virus spreads to new species, the risk of it mutating and affecting humans increases, despite the current risk level being low.