Azerbaijan has recently become the latest hotspot for avian influenza, while Nigeria shows signs of widespread infection. Both China and Indonesia have reported additional fatalities among women due to the virus. It appears that the H5N1 virus is exploiting any weaknesses in the world’s defenses.
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| Nigerian police are preparing to cull 168 ostriches infected with avian influenza at the Sambawa farm in Kaduna State. (Photo: AFP, VNE) |
The spread of avian influenza will further facilitate the mutation of the virus into a strain that can easily transmit from human to human, potentially igniting a pandemic. “No one can predict when that mutation will occur, where it will appear, and how dangerous the new virus will be,” stated Dr. David Nabarro, head of the UN avian influenza team, emphasizing the need for heightened vigilance.
The Azerbaijan Ministry of Health has announced that laboratories in the UK have confirmed the presence of the H5N1 virus in wild ducks and swans on the Absheron Peninsula. Local authorities have immediately urged residents to avoid contact with poultry and prevent domesticated birds from mingling with wild birds. Azerbaijan shares a border with Turkey, where four children have died after contracting avian influenza.
Meanwhile, international experts are urging Nigeria to invest more in combating the outbreak, as there have been five farms infected with the virus. An urgent task is to understand the transmission route of avian influenza to West Africa. Currently, samples from an outbreak in Kaduna are being analyzed and will be compared with viruses from other countries. The World Organisation for Animal Health and the Food and Agriculture Organization are also calling for Nigeria to close poultry markets in the outbreak regions. The World Health Organization has advised health officials involved in the home vaccination program for children in Nigeria to monitor for any unusual pneumonia-related deaths, a potential sign of avian influenza.
At this moment, the WHO is also investigating the causes of death among new patients in China and Indonesia. If confirmed, this would mark the 17th death in Indonesia and the 8th in China. Notably, the victim in China was discovered in an area without known outbreaks in poultry.
Mỹ Linh (according to AP)
