European health officials urge pandemic preparation amid bird flu outbreaks

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued an alert to European health authorities regarding the “unprecedented number” of bird flu outbreaks this fall. ECDC says that European countries need to prioritize early detection and preparation, such as increasing hospital capacity, encouraging mask wearers, and quarantining sick individuals, to prevent a pandemic.

The new variant of bird influenza spreading rapidly among wild animals could spread to humans

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu or H5N1, has been on the rise this autumn among wild birds and in poultry farms. At least 26 European nations have reported more than 1,400 new cases. This figure is four-times higher than the previous year, and represents the highest levels of outbreak since 2016, almost a decade ago.

The virus is spreading more rapidly on a global level in the last few years. It has also spread to other animals, including cats, foxes, and minks. Health officials warned earlier this year that the virus might also mutate and infect humans easier. Widespread circulation among birds and other animals make it more likely that the virus will eventually infect humans – according to scientists, the virus is just one major mutation away from being able to infect humans en masse – posing the possible threat of a pandemic.

According to the European Food and Safety Authority many bird influenza infections were found this year in waterfowl including birds that appeared to be healthy. In addition, since the beginning of November this year, the English government has ordered that all commercial poultry birds be kept indoors, due to the rapid spreading of the virus. This new variant is according to health officials.

Over 100 people in the US have been infected in just one year with H5N1. These were mostly farm workers. No cases of human bird flu have been reported in Europe as of yet.

ECDC plans to combat possible outbreak

The ECDC’s plan was sent to European officials of health and highlights how European governments can respond to this new threat. The plan’s main points are:

• Infected persons should be quarantined for at least 14-days after the infection has been detected
• Preparing vaccines for rapid distribution to the public
• Intensifying surveillance between countries at the border, including H5N1 testing at airports and ports and analysing wastewater coming from aircraft toilets
• Tests for patients with symptoms who have traveled to affected countries recently
• Protective gear and face masks for high-risk people
• Increase the capacity of hospitals
• Laboratory testing should be increased
• Prioritising communication with public

Many of these measures remind us of those taken by Asian nations, such as South Korea, Taiwan and Singapore, during the COVID-19 worldwide pandemic. These measures slowed the spread and allowed officials to get ahead of outbreaks.

The UK has also been heavily criticised by the UK for its lack border control during COVID-19, which resulted in thousands of preventable deaths. This is according to the UK’s COVID second inquiry report. It concluded that the government response was “too late, too little.”

Risk of bird flu spreading to humans is ‘low,’ but officials should stay vigilant

UKHSA and ECDC both say that at this time, the risk for H5N1 to mutate in order to spread between humans is very low. According to the ECDC, better planning and surveillance is important to prevent a pandemic.

Edoardo Collzani, the Head of Respiratory Viruses, ECDC, said that despite the low risk to the European public, avian flu is a serious threat to the public’s health due the widespread outbreaks in animals throughout Europe.

In the end, European governments must prioritize their preparedness to deal with an outbreak. This includes putting in place critical measures to be ready for a mutated virus that could infect humans.

More European news can be found here.

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