Bird flu outbreaks in mammals have doubled, raising human risk: report

Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals more than doubled across the world last year, raising the risk that the virus could potentially spread between humans, an international agency warned on Friday.

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Avian influenza has spread across the world like never before in the last few years, leading to the mass culling of poultry, sending egg prices soaring and causing the deaths of several people in contact with infected animals.

While the overall risk of human infection remains low, bird flu outbreaks among mammals such as cattle, dogs and cats increase the possibility that the virus could eventually adapt to transmit between humans, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said in a new report.

The number of mammal outbreaks soared to 1,022 across 55 countries last year, compared to 459 in 2023, according to the Paris-based agency, which monitors animal diseases worldwide.