Ireland's health officials have issued a fresh warning to the public amid growing concerns over the spread of bird flu across the country. People are being urged not to touch or handle sick or dead wild birds due to the ongoing risk of avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
The advisory, issued today by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), echoes similar warnings from the Department of Agriculture, which confirmed 19 wild birds have tested positive for bird flu between January and March of this year.
A spokesperson said: "This means that the avian influenza virus is circulating in wild birds and has the potential to cause more wild bird death and illness."
Bird flu is a type of influenza that primarily affects wild birds and poultry, and can occasionally infect humans and some mammals. Among the many strains of the virus, the H5N1 variant has drawn global concern due to its high mortality rate in both birds and humans. Nearly 1,000 human cases have been recorded across the world since 2003 and tragically, half of those infected have died.
The HPSC confirmed: "H5N1 is now circulating in wild birds in Ireland, and is now confirmed on both sides of the country."
This comes as a map detailing the cases of bird flu detected in wild birds across Ireland following surveillance testing can be viewed here.
While the virus currently poses a low risk to humans, experts are concerned about its potential to mutate. If the virus changes in a way that allows human-to-human transmission, it could spark a new pandemic.
Ireland's health officials explained: "It is very unusual for people to catch bird flu but it can happen. Currently, it is hard to catch avian influenza from a bird or animal, and there is no evidence that it can be passed between people, but if the virus mutates (changes) this may happen in the future. It is therefore important to prevent people getting H5N1, since:
- It can - rarely - produce serious disease in people,
- Mixing of avian influenza and seasonal flu in a person could allow the virus to mutate and become better at spreading between people, and
- If a person is infected with HPAI, it could be passed from people to Irish poultry flocks leading to severe disease among birds."
While bird flu typically peaks during the winter, the HPSC said new cases are still being confirmed this spring. Both the HSE and the Department for Agriculture are reminding the public to not touch or handle sick or dead birds, and to report any such sightings through the Avian Check app.
The app allows members of the public to report sightings, and while not all reported birds are collected for testing, each submission helps authorities monitor the spread and assess risks.
If someone handles an infected bird, they will be monitored for 10 days and may receive antiviral medication or a vaccination if they are considered to be at risk.
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