World Health Organization (WHO) Epidemic Prevention and Preparedness (EPP) Director Maria Van Kerkhove recommended drinking only pasteurized milk to avoid infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus, following a few days ago by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). discovered a virus in a batch of raw milk.

“We recommend, and have always recommended, drinking pasteurized milk to reap a range of health benefits. This is as important for H5N1 as it is for other pathogens and other bacteria,” Van Kerkhove emphasized this Thursday during a WHO press conference.

Asked about the possibility of a new pandemic, in this case bird flu, Van Kerkhove ruled that out for now and stressed that “the number of human cases of H5N1 infection remains small in relative terms.” At the time, he pointed out that “it is growing all over the world, not just in the United States.”

“We need much greater effort to reduce the risk of animals and people becoming infected. And to do this, we must protect people who are at risk, people who are at risk,” the expert explained.

At this point, Van Kerkhove noted that “no evidence of infection in humans has been observed.” “But each of these human cases is being fully investigated, including additional testing of contacts,” he said of cases recently identified in the United States.

Bird flu pandemic

As Van Kerkhove explained, the WHO is always on alert when it comes to a flu pandemic: “Because it’s not a question of if, but when,” he added.

“So the work we do through the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System, as well as through our pandemic influenza preparedness framework and review of access to health countermeasures such as vaccines, diagnostics and treatments, prepares us for when we will find ourselves in a situation with a flu pandemic,” he clarified.

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However, he believes that “there is a need for greater oversight and transparency between the health, livestock and environmental sectors to better assess risks.”

However, at the moment, the director of the Department of Prevention and Preparedness for Epidemics and Pandemics assured that “the risk of avian influenza for the population is low, and for people with occupational exposure it is low to moderate.” “This moderate level depends on the level of protection they have,” he added.

Case in California

This Wednesday, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a second warning to Californians not to consume raw milk produced and packaged by Fresno County-based Raw Farm due to the discovery of an avian influenza virus at a second retail outlet. sample. At the request of the state, the company voluntarily recalled the affected batch of milk from the market.

CDPHN reported that there have been no identified human cases of avian influenza associated with this product. In the meantime, the state continues to investigate the connection between the detection of avian influenza in retail raw milk and the current spread of avian influenza in dairy cows, poultry and sporadic human cases. At this time, CDPHN urges citizens not to consume contaminated raw milk.

Europe Press