Hen flu danger stays low after first US dying, WHO says

GENEVA (Reuters) – The chance to the overall inhabitants from H5N1 chicken flu stays low, a World Well being Group spokesperson mentioned on Tuesday, following the primary dying of a affected person from the virus in america.

The affected person, who was over 65 and had underlying medical circumstances, was hospitalised with the virus in December after publicity to a mixture of yard chickens and wild birds, Louisiana well being officers mentioned.

“We’re involved, in fact, however we take a look at the chance to the overall inhabitants and … it nonetheless stays low,” WHO spokesperson Margaret Harris instructed reporters at a Geneva press briefing in response to questions concerning the dangers of the virus.

Requested whether or not U.S. monitoring of the virus was ample, she mentioned: “They’re doing quite a lot of surveillance. That is why we’re listening to about it.”

Almost 70 individuals within the U.S. have contracted chicken flu since April, most of them farmworkers, because the virus has circulated amongst poultry flocks and dairy herds, in response to the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

Just like the WHO, U.S. federal and state officers have mentioned the chance to most of the people stays low.