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The UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has reported that the swift spread of the highly contagious avian flu virus H5N1 has reached an "unprecedented" level, resulting in the loss of hundreds of millions of birds globally and increasingly affecting mammals as well.
During a briefing to member states in Rome on Tuesday, FAO's deputy director-general Godfrey Magwenzi urged for immediate measures to enhance biosecurity, monitoring, and rapid-response strategies to manage the outbreak.
Magwenzi highlighted that the crisis poses significant threats to food security and supply in various nations, including the loss of essential nutrition, rural employment and income, disruptions to local economies, and escalating expenses for consumers. With millions depending on poultry for meat and eggs, the priority is to contain the virus and safeguard food production systems.
The economic repercussions are being felt globally; for instance, egg prices hit a record high in the United States in February, as reported by the U.S. Consumer Price Index, with farmers compelled to cull over 166 million birds, primarily egg-laying hens, due to the outbreak. This year alone, over 30 million birds have been culled in the U.S., according to news reports.
FAO Deputy Director-General Beth Bechdol emphasized the necessity for a coordinated global response, describing H5N1 as a "transboundary" threat that requires cooperation from all countries to address. To tackle the crisis, FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) have initiated a decade-long Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza. "A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
By collaborating, we can mitigate the effects of avian influenza and safeguard both animal and human health—locally and globally," stated Mr. Bechdol.
In the last four years, H5N1 has spread to new areas, inflicting severe damage on domestic birds, disrupting food supplies, and driving up poultry prices. Since 2021, at least 300 new wild bird species have faced the repercussions, severely threatening biodiversity.
FAO reiterated its commitment to global monitoring, data sharing, and providing technical support to assist countries in controlling the virus. Bechdol also underlined the significance of private sector involvement, especially in developing vaccines, diagnostics, and high-quality animal health services.
Additionally, the briefing included a renewed appeal for funding proposals under the Pandemic Fund managed by the World Bank. Over the last two years, FAO has co-led numerous Pandemic Fund initiatives aimed at bolstering disease surveillance, early warning systems, and health infrastructure to avert future outbreaks.
