Photo Credit – FAO
# 6894
With bird flu prominently back in the spotlight this week, the timing of the following announcement from the FAO probably couldn’t be better.
Despite gains in the battle against the H5N1 virus (see chart below) in recent years, the ongoing global economic downturn has prompted many nations to cut back on their surveillance and testing for animal diseases.
Declining human cases since 2005-2006 - Influenza at the human–animal interface – Sept 2012
Today the the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) issued a statement warning of the dangers of complacency when it comes to serious global threats, like H5N1 (h/t Giuseppe Michieli on FluTrackers).
FAO urges stronger measures on global health threats
World risks new bird flu surge if countries drop their guard
With animal disease threats, prevention is better than cure
29 January 2013, Rome - The world risks a repeat of the disastrous 2006 bird flu outbreaks unless surveillance and control of this and other dangerous animal diseases is strengthened globally, FAO warns.
"The continuing international economic downturn means less money is available for prevention of H5N1 bird flu and other threats of animal origin. This is not only true for international organizations but also countries themselves," says FAO Chief Veterinary Officer Juan Lubroth. "Even though everyone knows that prevention is better than cure, I am worried because in the current climate governments are unable to keep up their guard."
Continued strict vigilance is required, however, given that large reservoirs of the H5N1 virus still exist in some countries in Asia and the Middle East, in which the disease has become endemic. Without adequate controls, it could easily spread globally as it did at its peak in 2006, when 63 countries were affected.
Investing makes sense
Investing more in prevention makes economic sense given the huge toll inflicted by a full-scale pandemic. Between 2003 and 2011 the disease killed or forced the culling of more than 400 million domestic chickens and ducks and caused an estimated $20 billion of economic damage.
Like several animal diseases, H5N1 can also be transmitted to humans. Between 2003 and 2011, it infected over 500 people and killed more than 300, according to the World Health Organization.
"I see inaction in the face of very real threats to the health of animals and people," Lubroth says.
This is all the more regrettable as it has been shown that appropriate measures can completely eliminate H5N1 from the poultry sector and thus protect human health and welfare. Domestic poultry are now virus-free in most of the 63 countries infected in 2006, including Turkey, Hong Kong, Thailand and Nigeria. And, after many years of hard work and international financial commitment, substantial headway is finally being made against bird flu in Indonesia.
(Continue . . . )
