Overview
- Outbreaks of bird flu in mammals jumped from 459 in 2023 to 1,022 in 2024, affecting species like dairy cows in the U.S. and raising concerns about human transmission.
- More than 630 million birds have died or been culled due to avian influenza over the past two decades, destabilizing food supplies and global trade.
- France's nationwide duck vaccination program reduced outbreaks from over 300 to just 10 in a year, showcasing the potential of targeted vaccination campaigns.
- WOAH is finalizing DIVA standards to distinguish vaccinated birds from infected ones, aiming to maintain trade while expanding vaccination efforts.
- The agency warns that mammalian outbreaks increase the risk of the virus adapting to human transmission, calling for urgent global collaboration on biosecurity and vaccination.