The Ministry of Agriculture confirmed, this Monday (15/5), two cases of avian flu in Brazil. Two dead wild birds were found carrying the H5N1 influenza virus on the coast of Espírito Santo.
Although there is no record of human infection here, there are cases of people who have already been infected by bird flu in other countries, including a woman who died in China last April. Over the past 20 years, 874 cases of human infection with the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus have been recorded in 23 countries.
according to the most recent epidemiological bulletin of the World Health Organization, of the 874 cases recorded in humans since January 2003, 458 were fatal (52% of the total). Therefore, according to experts, we have to be careful with the virus, even if we are not facing a medical emergency.
“In principle, it is a bird virus, but in any case, we must be very careful. There have already been cases of this type of virus that ended up jumping to humans, so the risk always exists and we must be alert”, evaluates infectologist José David Urbaez Brito, president of the Society of Infectology of the Federal District.
care
The Ministry of Agriculture recommended in official note that the population does not go near birds that appear to be sick, whether they are alive or dead. If an animal is found that appears to be sick, it should not be sheltered, but rather seek a veterinary care service.
In addition to Brazil, other countries in South America have recorded dead animals in recent weeks with avian flu, including 1,500 dead sea lions in Chile.
“We have destroyed nature on several levels and animals are being forced to live closer together, which increases the transmission of viruses and also the possibility that the disease will spread to other species. Although these viruses circulate primarily in birds, there are several cases of mammals, both terrestrial and aquatic, that have already been affected”, points out Urbaez.
The infectologist points out that the scenario should not lead to despair, but that we have to be attentive to the circulation of the disease. “There is a progressive spread of this virus in nature and we must monitor it, but there is no reason to panic now”, he says.
“Even if the virus jumps to infect humans, it is an influenza virus, similar to the one we already have vaccines and medicines for. It would not be a case of doing everything from scratch as had to be done in the Covid pandemic”, says Urbaez.
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