FAO Warns of ‘Unprecedented’ Avian Flu Spread, Calls for Global Action

The FAO has reported an “unprecedented” spread of the H5N1 avian flu virus, resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions of birds and increasing infections in mammals, UN website reported. Urgent action is needed to enhance biosecurity, surveillance, and rapid-response measures to mitigate the outbreak’s impact on food security, nutrition, rural jobs, and local economies.

In the U.S., egg prices hit record highs in February as farmers have slaughtered over 166 million birds due to the outbreak, with more than 30 million killed this year alone. FAO officials emphasized the necessity for a global, coordinated response, labeling H5N1 a “transboundary” threat.

To combat the crisis, the FAO and WOAH have initiated a ten-year Global Strategy for Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza. The FAO is committed to global monitoring and private sector engagement for vaccine development and disease prevention. The organization also called for funding proposals under the Pandemic Fund to strengthen disease surveillance and health infrastructure.