LONDON, January 6, 2022 (AFP) – A person has contracted bird flu in southwest England, Britain’s Health Security Agency reported Thursday, noting that the risk to humans remained “extremely low” despite a pandemic. Large among domestic birds. .
The UK has been facing an unprecedented outbreak of bird flu since November. Hundreds of thousands of poultry have been euthanized by this viral disease, which is spread by migratory birds from Russia and Eastern Europe.
The person was discovered to be infected after an outbreak of the H5N1 avian influenza strain was identified among his birds.
“The person was infected as a result of close and regular contact with a large number of infected birds in and around his home for a long period of time,” the agency said in a statement.
He explained that the patient “is currently in good condition and is still isolated.”
He added, “All contacts of the individual, including those who visited the site, were traced, and there is no evidence of the infection spreading to anyone else.”
The statement said the transmission of bird flu from birds to humans was “extremely unusual”.
Professor Isabel Oliver explained: “Although the risk of avian influenza to the general public is very low, we know that some strains have the potential to spread to humans, which is why we have effective systems in place to detect them in a timely manner and take action.” Scientific Director of the Health Security Agency.
He added: “There is currently no evidence that this strain detected in the UK can spread from person to person, but we know viruses evolve all the time and we continue to monitor the situation closely.”
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