As of Wednesday, July 12, no person in contact with an A(H5N1)-positive cat has reported any symptoms, the United Nations health agency said. speakalso adds that the monitoring period for all contacts is now complete.
first country
There have been “sporadic” cases before of what is commonly known as avian influenza virus, but the cases in Poland are the first to involve large numbers of cats being infected.
have been reported over a wide geographical area within a country, WHO speak.
“The risk of human infection following exposure to an infected cat at the national level is assessed to be low for the general population and low to moderate for cat owners and occupational contacts of cats. cat infected with H5N1, such as a veterinarian, if appropriate precautions are not taken. personal protective equipment”.
WHO advise people exposed to animal influenza viruses and all contacts of confirmed human cases, to monitor their health for known exposure periods, plus a minimum of seven day.
‘No change’ in WHO advice
The WHO said the report of infections in cats does not change current recommendations for public health surveillance and measures.
“Due to the ever-evolving nature of flu virusWHO further emphasizes the importance of global surveillance to detect and monitor virological, epidemiological and clinical changes related to emerging or circulating influenza viruses that may affect human or animal health and timely virus sharing for risk assessment,” the agency said.
The UN agency urges veterinary and public health agencies to work closely, share information and conduct joint risk assessments and responses to outbreaks of zoonotic influenza. person-to-person at human-animal contact, following the guidelines One Health approach.
dead cat
According to the WHO, as of July 11, authorities in Poland have tested 47 samples from 46 cats and one captive caracal. Of these, 29 were positive for influenza A(H5N1).
Fourteen cats have been reported dead and another 11 have died, with the last death reported June 30.
Positive samples were reported from 13 geographical areas throughout the country.
Source of exposure ‘unknown’
The source of exposure to the virus has not been identified and epidemiological investigations are underway.
“There are several possibilities for the source of infection, where the cats may have had direct or indirect contact with infected birds or their environment, eaten infected birds or eaten raw food. contaminated products,” WHO said, adding that authorities were investigating. “all potential sources and have not ruled out any to date.”
Of the 25 cats with information, two were outdoors, 18 were indoors with access to a balcony, terrace or backyard, and five had no exit to the outside environment. Seven out of 25 cats are thought to have had the chance to come into contact with wild birds.
Continuous monitoring
According to WHO, together with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), which continue to monitor the rapidly evolving virus and update recommendations to limit its spread, in addition to working with countries in prepare and respond.
The United Nations health agency is also evaluating existing A(H5N1) vaccine viruses through its research. Global influenza surveillance and response system to ensure valid vaccine viruses are developed.
