WHO monitoring H5N1 virus in mammals
By GMA Interated News
Published July 5, 2023 11:52pm
The World Health Organization (WHO) is monitoring the evolution of the H5N1 virus in various species including mammals after it was linked to the death of nine domestic cats across Poland.
Dr. Sylvie Briand, director of WHO epidemic and pandemic preparedness and prevention, said the international public health organization is working with its partner agencies to conduct the global monitoring of the highly-contagious H5N1 virus.
“We have networks of laboratories, other human-animal interfaces sharing information on the virus and monitoring the evolution of this virus across different species,” Briand told reporters in a media briefing.
“It means that we are collecting those viruses, doing genomic sequencing on some of them, and also comparing the results of the analysis of the virus with the epidemiological information. Because what is very important with the H5N1 infection is to see how much it affects different animal populations as well,” she added.
Briand also said the WHO had secured seeded H5N1 virus which can be used for vaccine development should there be a need for anti-avian flu vaccination.
WHO monitoring H5N1 virus in mammals
