#17,891
Every year roughly 1/4th of the world's population - mostly across East and Southeast Asia - celebrate the lunar new year. During this extended holiday it is a long held tradition that people return home to attend a reunion dinner with their families on the eve of the lunar New Year, which this year falls on February 10th.
During this time poultry sales in Asia often reach record levels, as duck and chicken are popular dishes served during these reunion dinners. It is probably no coincidence that the first outbreak of the H7N9 virus in China emerged during and just after the 2013 Spring Festival.Chunyun, or the Spring Festival travel season, begins about 15 days before the Lunar New Year and runs for about 40 days total, during which time more than 2 billion passenger journeys will be made (mostly via crowded rail and bus) across Asia.
Although China holds its avian flu information close to the vest, we are aware of several recent human infections (see here, here, here, and here), and we've seen numerous studies showing the continued presence of multiple subtypes of bird flu in both wild birds and poultry (see here, here, and here).
And of course, it isn't just China. While Cambodia - which has reported 6 H5N1 infections since October - celebrates their own Khmer New Year in mid-April, the Chinese New Year is widely observed by many people of that nation as well.
Although it is shrouded in secrecy, travel during last year's lunar new year celebration - the first to occur after the end of China's Zero-COVID policies - likely contributed to the 1.5 to 1.87 million excess deaths in China in the first two months of 2023.
While avian flu is high on our list of concerns, China has also been dealing with potent mixture of COVID, influenza A & B, RSV, and Mycoplasma Pneumonia (see Taiwan CDC & ECDC Statements Regarding Respiratory Outbreak In China), all of which could be exacerbated by the spring travel season.
Although a perennial concern, this year the WHO and FAO have released unusually pointed statements about the risks of avian flu during the upcoming holiday.
First from the World Health Organization.
Avian influenza and Lunar New Year festivities: vigilance and precautions
2 February 2024
During preparations for the Lunar New Year festivities in Asia there is increased trading and handling of poultry. In addition, the Lunar New Year travel rush will start in February 2024. In response, FAO has issued an alert to all Chief Veterinary Officers at: https://www.fao.org/3/cc9524en/cc9524en.pdf.
Because of ongoing reports of avian influenza (AI) outbreaks in domestic and wild birds in the region, the increased levels of trade and travel will lead to a higher risk of exposure in the human population. Several animal influenza viruses currently circulating in poultry have the potential to transmit to humans and may cause severe disease.
Although most human infections so far have been sporadic following contact with infected poultry and/or their environments, with no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission, vigilance remains crucial.
In view of the upcoming festivities, and continual sporadic reports of human infection with AI, there is a need to reinforce important messages regarding hygiene and other precautions.
General precautions
- Limit exposure to potentially infected poultry and environments
- The public should minimize contact with animals in areas known to be affected by animal influenza viruses, including farms and other settings where live animals may be sold or slaughtered, and avoid contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with animal faeces. Children, older people, pregnant and postpartum women (up to 6 weeks) or people with suppressed immune systems should neither collect eggs nor assist with slaughtering or food preparation. (Continue . . . )
- The public should strictly avoid contact with any sick or dead animal, including wild birds, and should report dead animals or request their removal by contacting local wildlife or veterinary authorities.
- Travellers to countries and people living in countries with known outbreaks of AI should, if possible, avoid poultry farms, contact with animals in live poultry markets, entering areas where poultry may be slaughtered, and contact with any surfaces that appear to be contaminated with faeces from poultry or other animals.
2. Perform good hand hygiene and follow general food safety advice
- Everyone should perform hand hygiene, preferably washing their hands either with soap and running water (especially if there is visible soiling of the hands) or using alcohol hand rubs. In all cases, hand hygiene should be performed thoroughly and as often as needed – but especially before and after contact with animals and their environments.
- Everyone should practise good food safety habits – separating raw meat from cooked or ready-to-eat foods, keeping surfaces clean and washing hands, cooking food thoroughly, and handling and storing meat properly.
3. Protect yourself when exposed to, or handling, poultry.
4. Seek health care when sick or following contact with potentially infected animals or their environments.
For public health practitioners
- Increase awareness of AI among the population and health care workers.
- Increase surveillance and ensure laboratories are equipped, especially in areas where risk is highest.
- Collaborate closely with the animal sector to reduce the risk of transmission of AI viruses to humans in ways that are acceptable to the public, producers and traders.
- Report and promptly investigate any human infections with AI viruses.
The WHO public health resource pack for countries experiencing outbreaks of influenza in animals includes Chapter 4 on basic messages for the general public and at-risk groups, Chapter 5 on the reduction of human exposure, and Chapter 6 on food safety.
For more information, please refer to the WHO factsheet at: Influenza (Avian and other zoonotic).
While the WHO statement is more for public consumption, the FAO has released a detailed alert for all Chief Veterinary Officers
(CVOs) in Asia, urging them to `. . . increase AI prevention and preparedness activities to
reduce the likelihood of poultry outbreaks and subsequent impacts on
livelihoods and economies, and human infections.'
Due to its length (3-page PDF) I've only posted some excepts. Follow the link to download the full text of the alert.
31 January 2024
FAO calls for increased vigilance and preparedness for avian influenza (AI) during the traditional New Year festivities that will take place across Asia starting during the second week of February 2024.
During the past months, AI outbreaks have continued to be reported in domestic poultry and wild birds in Asia. In the past year, several AI virus subtypes, including H5N1, H5N2, H5N5, H5N6, H5N8, and H9N2 have been detected in domestic poultry and/or wild bird populations in the region. In addition, subtype H5N1 subclade 2.3.4.4b continues to circulate in both wild and domestic birds throughout the world.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) can lead to heavy losses for the poultry industry, in particular to livelihoods of vulnerable small-scale producers. Poultry trade and related activities play a key role in AI spread and amplification in domestic bird populations, including the trade of infected live poultry and their products, handling or slaughtering infected poultry, and limited biosecurity along the poultry value chain. Before and during New Year festivities, the risk is further exacerbated by high demand for poultry meat and products, triggering increased and intensified poultry trade and movements as well as visits to live poultry markets.
In addition, a rise in mammalian species infected with HPAI has been recorded globally, including outbreaks among farmed mink in Spain, marine mammals in the Americas, and cats in Europe and, more recently, in the Republic of Korea.
Importantly, AI virus subtypes have demonstrated their zoonotic potential, i.e. the ability to transmit from birds to humans. During 2023, human cases of influenza A(H5N1) were detected in China and Cambodia, and the Americas (Ecuador and Chile), and human cases of A(H5N6) were reported in China. In 2024, two more cases of H5N1 in humans were already reported in Cambodia.
Other AI subtypes that have been detected in humans in Asia in the past year include influenza A(H3N8), A(H10N5), and A(H9N2). Most of these cases reported exposure through close contact with infected live poultry. While human infections with AI viruses remain sporadic events, they warrant attention since symptoms observed in humans range from asymptomatic to fatal.
INCREASED AVIAN INFLUENZA RISK
There is an increased risk of AI spread in Asia due to intensified in-country travel around Lunar New Year (February 2024), specifically considering the following:
• Millions of people are expected to travel for the New Year (starting early February 2024).• The vast majority of traffic will be within countries of the Asian region, but also to and from Asia.• Poultry trade is increasing to serve the high demand for poultry meat and other products consumed during these festivities.• Travel and trade increase the risk of spreading AI, since the virus can be transmitted via contact with infected animals as well as contaminated clothing, vehicles and other equipment.
While some countries, like Cambodia, have been refreshingly prompt in reporting avian flu cases, China tends to treat `bad news' as a national security matter, often leading to long delays in notifications.
A reminder that `no news' isn't necessarily good news.
