A new strain of bird flu has been identified in poultry for the first time in the United States, with the variant detected at a duck farm in California. The World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) confirmed the presence of “highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N9” at a commercial duck premise in Merced County, California.
According to the report by WOAH, the outbreak of the H5N9 strain was confirmed on January 13, and all 119,000 poultry at the affected farm have been culled. This marks the first instance of HPAI H5N9 in poultry in the US. The origin of the outbreak remains unknown, but US animal health officials are conducting thorough epidemiological investigations and have increased surveillance in response to the situation.
In addition to the H5N9 strain, the H5N1 strain of bird flu was also detected at the duck farm in California. This development comes at a time when concerns about the potential pandemic threat posed by bird flu are heightened. Health experts have long warned about the possibility of the virus mutating and spreading among animals and humans.
The emergence of this new strain of bird flu in the US coincides with President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the country from the World Health Organization (WHO). The US has been a major contributor to the WHO, which plays a crucial role in coordinating global responses to health emergencies.
With the US withdrawal from the WHO, there are concerns about the impact on global health efforts, particularly in tracking the spread of viruses and sharing critical data internationally. The WHO has expressed worry about the implications of the US decision on global health security.
In the US, 67 cases of bird flu have been reported, with one fatality in early January. These cases were linked to direct exposure to infected animals, and there have been no reports of human-to-human transmission so far. However, scientists are wary of the potential for the bird flu virus to mutate into a strain that is transmissible between humans, potentially leading to a human pandemic.
As the situation unfolds, it is essential for authorities to prioritize surveillance and information sharing to prevent further spread of the virus. Collaboration between countries and international organizations is crucial in addressing global health challenges like the bird flu outbreak.
This article was originally published by AFP and serves as a valuable resource for understanding the current status of the bird flu outbreak in the US. For more information and updates, please refer to the original source cited below.
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New strain of bird flu confirmed in US (2025, January 28)
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