Virus bird flu H5N1increasingly detected in mammals and, more recently, in cattle and goats in the United States, as well was detected in milk tests of these animals contaminated farms, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned this Friday.

The head of the WHO global influenza prevention program, Zhang Wenqing, said at a press conference that following this discovery, “it is important to ensure food safety practice e.g. exclusive consumption pasteurized dairy products“.

WHO has been closely monitoring cases in the United States since it was notified on April 1 of a case of H5N1 infection in a dairy farm worker in Texas, the first known case. transmission of the virus from cows to humans.

“In recent outbreaks, cases of transmission have also been recorded from birds to cows or from cows to each other (…), which suggests that the virus finds ways different from those previously known,” Zhang said.

“This is alarming, but it also serves as an incentive to strengthen surveillance of the disease,” he added, noting that WHO is working with the World Organization for Animal Health (WHO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (FAO) for possible re-evaluation of the H5N1 virus.

Although human cases remain rare (about 900 since 2003), WHO remains vigilant againstPossible evolution of the virus allowing transmission between people which could give the disease pandemic potential, since its fatality rate is currently very high (more than 50% of cases are fatal).

Zhang recalled that since 2020, there has been an “exponential increase” in the number of infections in birds, in addition to more and more mammals being infected, including seals, minks, sea lions and foxes, although increased adaptation has not been confirmed. virus to this animal species.