Bird Flu Surge Raises Alarms in EU Amidst Pandemic Fears

Bird flu is spreading more quickly in the EU this season, prompting fears of an outbreak reminiscent of past crises. Although not found in EU humans or cattle, the virus poses potential pandemic risks if it mutates. Biosecurity measures and vaccination efforts are being reinforced to prevent escalation.

The European Union is witnessing a faster spread of bird flu this season compared to the milder wave of 2023, raising concerns about potential pandemics. The highly pathogenic avian influenza has been responsible for hundreds of millions of bird deaths globally but poses no current threat to humans or cattle in the EU.

Conversely, in the U.S., the virus has spread to 400 dairy herds across 14 states, infecting 36 people since April, with detections primarily stemming from exposure in commercial egg farms. Alarmingly, experts are worried about the virus mutating into a form easily transmissible between humans, sparking fears of a pandemic.

Since the start of the migratory season on August 1, EU countries reported 62 bird flu outbreaks on poultry farms, with numbers significantly higher than the same period in 2023 but still beneath those of October 2022. Heightened biosecurity measures in France, supported by hopes for effective vaccinations, aim to avert a crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)