The H5N1 virus has arrived in France, with the first detection reported in the carcass of a wild duck found in a marshland in the east yesterday. Simultaneously, Egypt has also become the new “victim” in Africa.
“Test results show that one of the dead ducks found had the presence of the H5 virus, with a 90% likelihood of being H5N1 – the most virulent strain,” announced French Agriculture Minister Dominique Bussereau. Experts require an additional 30 hours to “be 100% sure that it is H5N1.”
Meanwhile, Egypt has recently discovered avian influenza in poultry across three regions. In the Middle East, the World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that Iraq has recorded its second death due to H5N1. Azerbaijan and Slovenia are struggling to implement measures to prevent the spread of the virus. Romania has reported 31 villages infected with avian influenza since the first detection last October.
As global anxiety over avian influenza continues to rise, the WHO stated that investment in vaccine development remains insufficient. Recently, several experimental vaccines have shown potential, but much work still lies ahead. The WHO has allocated over $3 billion to stockpile antiviral medications.
My Linh (according to Reuters)
