The WHO has warned of the potential for the virus to spread to humans due to the massive spread of bird flu in animals.

The World Health Organization (WHO) It warned on Wednesday about the possibility of the virus mutating into humans. And the spread of bird flu among mammals can promote community transmission. In Argentina, there was a strong outbreak in poultry farms in February, which led to the slaughter of thousands of birds. Crisis in Poultry Industry.

“Some mammals can mutate the flu virus, creating new viruses that are more harmful to animals and humans.“, the health agency says in a statement UNBased in Geneva, Swiss.

Due to the current outbreak of bird fluDestructionOn animals, WHO said poultry and wild birds, along with some mammals, negatively affected farmers’ livelihoods and food trade.

“Although they mostly affect animals, these outbreaks continue to pose risks to humans.The organization said.

WHO, along with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), emphasized the cooperation of countries to protect people and animals.

“The epidemiology of avian influenza has raised global concern “The disease has spread to new geographic areas, causing unprecedented losses of wild birds and alarming increases in mammal populations,” said WOAH Chief Scientist Gregorio Torres.

From the end of 2021, Europe has been hit by a nasty outbreak of bird flu, while North and South America have also been hit There have been severe outbreaks.

This led to the extermination of tens of thousands of chickens (biologically closer to humans than birds) around the world, with many strains. H5N1 The first virus to appear One thousand ninety six.

Cases of avian influenza in humans are usually the result of direct or indirect exposure to infected poultry, live or dead, or to contaminated environments, which is why the health institutions of those countries pay extreme attention to avoiding infection and sometimes the animals involved are killed. , which took place this year in Argentina.

Earlier this year, a strong outbreak of bird flu in chickens was recorded in the country, which led to the decision of the government. Once the first case is detected in a poultry farm, the export of poultry products should be stopped. Last year, Argentina shipped USD 383 million worth of world poultry.

In this sense, different poultry companies had to sacrifice thousands of free chickens and eggs in different provinces. Buenos Aires, Newgen And Cordova up to Santa Fe And Black River. In these cases, producers began to realize the cost of slaughtering animals and protests and mobilizations were created in some parts of the country so that the sector did not enter into crisis.

The first outbreak was detected in poultry farming in Rio Negro provinceIn a chicken farm Important. There, experts and technicians from SENASA’s Northern Patagonia regional center have already completed the sanitary work. Meanwhile, the employees Patagonian Zoophytosanitary Prohibition The agency imposed restrictions on entry and exit routes to the affected area.

By the end of the week, Argentina was able to reclaim a key market. By signed letter Singapore Food CorporationThe country notified authorities and companies in the Argentine sector that until now the entry of products outside the 10-kilometer surveillance radius where the disease is controlled will be allowed.

Besides, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of the country Directed the first $2.2 billion to eight production companies that must destroy poultry meat and/or fertilized eggs and/or fresh eggs for health reasons. The state’s money is provided within the framework of the Economic Assistance Program for Health Emergency-Avian Influenza (H5 and H7), which has a total funding of $7.45 billion.

With information from Télam and ANSA

Nation