PandemicPreparedness

2025

28 July: In the latest joint assessment by FAO, WHO, and WOAH, the global public health risk posed by bird flu remains low. Individuals regularly exposed to infected animals, either through their jobs or backyard poultry, face a low to moderate risk that varies based on local hygiene practices and the prevalence of animal infections in the area.
While transmission among animals continues, human cases remain limited. The overall impact on global public health is still considered minor.

17 April: The updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events concludes that the global public health risk of these viruses remains low. However, the risk for occupationally exposed individuals varies from low to moderate, depending on local conditions and mitigation measures. While animal-to-animal transmission continues, human infections remain limited but are expected to increase with exposure to infected animals or environments. The overall global public health impact is currently minor, though this could change with new information.

2024

20 December: In the latest joint assessment, the FAO-WHO-WOAH assess the global public health risk of influenza A(H5N1) viruses to be low. For those occupationally exposed, the risk is assessed as low to moderate depending on mitigation measures in place and the local avian influenza epidemiological situation. The update also suggests that whilst transmission in animals and a growing yet limited number of human infections continue to occur the public health impact at a global level is minor. Further investigations are ongoing to understand the risks to both human and animal populations, in addition to monitoring and characterising virus circulation and preventing transmission within and between species.

14 August: Ongoing assessment of the public health risk of avian influenza A(H5N1) has continued to take place and further guidance has been published in a joint statement by the FAO, WHO and WOAH. The risk has been assessed to be low to the general public and low to moderate for occupations where exposure may happen depending on the risk mitigation measures in place. The FAO, WHO and WOAH also suggest that further monitoring and research should be conducted into transmission of avian influenza in mammals and despite the large numbers of infected animals there are relatively few human infections with A(H5N1). Investigations are ongoing to understand the risks to the animal and human populations and further updates will be provided once available.

26 April: A joint assessment by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) on the public health risk of avian influenza A(H5N1) was recently published. Within this assessment, they note the increased geographical spread of A(H5N1) viruses in birds since 2021 and increased spillover into mammals. Investigations are ongoing into the recent detection of A(H5N1) in dairy cattle in the USA and potential modes of transmission between dairy cattle after identifying high viral loads in milk from infected animals.

Although there have been a large number of outbreaks in animals, only 28 human cases of A(H5N1) have been detected since 2021. The WHO currently assesses the public health risk of A(H5N1) to be low, and the risk in individuals exposed to infected animals or their environments to be low-to-moderate. Countries are recommended to continue to perform surveillance on birds, monitor for cases in other animals, report all cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza to WOAH, follow biosecurity measures to prevent spread and protect individuals who have contact with infected animals. As more information becomes available, the risk of exposure to humans will be re-assessed.