Latest news with #H5N1-related
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
EU shores up pandemic defences with 478m flu vaccine deal
The European Union has snapped up advanced manufacturing capacity for at least 478 million doses of pandemic flu vaccine, surging ahead in the race to prepare for a possible bird flu outbreak in humans. According to data from the health analytics firm Airfinity, the EU now has signed agreements with seven manufacturers to reserve vaccines – including a new deal unveiled last week with CSL Seqirus for a further 27m doses. Although governments including Canada and the UK have reserved more doses per person, the EU has the largest and most diverse supply chain for a possible influenza pandemic. As reported in the Lancet last week, the recent emergence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infections in dairy cows and humans in the US has 'raised alarms regarding the potential for a pandemic'. 'Over 995 dairy cow herds and at least 70 humans have been affected, including cases of severe disease and the first reported H5N1-related death in the U.S'. This emerging threat has caused health authorities across the globe to quietly start planning for a possible spillover to humans, with a clear focus on vaccine supply. The shots the EU now has on standby do not constitute a stockpile. Rather than amassing a store of ready-to-use vaccines which protect against known strains of bird flu, the bloc has bet big on reserving access to outbreak-specific shots. These would be produced after a pandemic was declared and the exact strain of the virus was known – giving the best chance of the jabs being efficacious in humans. Richard Bennett, lead analyst at Airfinity, said the EU was also hedging its bets by doing deals with seven different firms. 'This diversification reduces the risk of supply disruption if one manufacturer encounters production issues, and prevents monopolising capacity from any single supplier,' he said. Other countries have also set about reserving access to as-yet-unmade vaccines. Germany has secured production capacity or 400 million doses, under a framework that would also distribute manufactured jabs to the wider European Union. Vaccine resilience and flexibility Meanwhile the UK and Canada have reserved 100m and 80m doses respectively. Although this equates to more shots per person than the EU has access to (1.5 per capita for Britain, two for Canada and one for the EU), the supply chains are less diverse. Canada is reliant on GSK, while the UK has a single deal with CSL Seqirus, according to Airfinity. Unlike the other countries included in the analysis, the US does not have enough doses to cover its entire population. Mr Bennet said this is unsurprising, 'given previous [US] demand for pandemic vaccines'. During the H1N1 'swine flu' outbreak in 2009, national vaccine coverage was just 27 per cent, though this jumped to 69.5 per cent during the coronavirus pandemic. Still, the superpower has 250m doses of pandemic flu shots reserved with CSL Seqirus and Sanofi, plus a stockpile of 20m shots against known strains of bird flu already circulating. 'Most countries depend on a handful of manufacturers for pandemic flu vaccines. Seven companies produce over 85 per of global supply, leaving national stockpiles vulnerable to geopolitical tensions, production delays, or supply chain shocks,' the Airfinity analysis warned. 'The EU has reduced reliance on single suppliers by securing contracts with multiple manufacturers, creating a more resilient and flexible vaccine procurement strategy during emergencies.' Production delays and vaccine nationalism The coronavirus pandemic highlighted the threat of vaccine nationalism, production delays and export restrictions. India's export bans, for instance, stalled the rollout of shots from Covax, which sought to buy immunisations for developing countries. The US also imposed limits on the export of vaccines and the critical equipment and materials needed to make them, while the EU threatened to block the export of AstraZeneca shots made for the UK government in the Netherlands. Ray Longstaff, director for Pandemic and Outbreak Preparedness and Response at CSL Seqirus, said the company has designed its manufacturing network and contracts to ensure minimum disruption in the face of these sorts of threats. 'In our agreements, we have supplied safeguards and comprehensive information about how we will not only meet the timelines … but also the kind of preparedness measures that we put in place to protect supply chains,' he said. 'It's something that we take very seriously.' CSL Seqirus Liverpool's refrigerated warehouse, where vaccines for flu – including H5N1 – are stored before shipment - Simon Townsley/The Telegraph The company – which has manufacturing sites in the UK, US and Australia – is one of the world's largest producers of seasonal flu shots. It also has a bird flu vaccine programme, plus a separate initiative to create pandemic-specific vaccines. If the WHO declared a pandemic, all manufacturing would switch to solely respond to the given outbreak. The pharmaceutical firm's latest deal reserves 27.5m pandemic flu doses for 17 participating EU member states, which would be manufactured at the CSL Seqirus site in Liverpool using an egg-based production method. The company now has deals to supply pandemic shots to more than 30 governments worldwide, including the UK. Mr Longstaff said he could not discuss specifics of the contracts – which include reservation fees that are invested in 'maintaining readiness and preparedness' – and downplayed the ramifications of potential tensions between governments in a pandemic scenario. He also stressed that the company would support lower income countries through the WHO's Pandemic Influenza Preparedness (PIP) framework. Agreed after the 2009 swine flu outbreak, this requires companies to donate 10 per cent of their pandemic influenza shots, in real time. This principle has also been incorporated into the new WHO pandemic treaty, set to be approved at the World Health Assembly in Geneva later this month, in an attempt to ensure that wealthy countries are not the only ones who have access to medical countermeasures in the event of an outbreak. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
A new pandemic? Top virologist warn of further spread of bird flu virus. What to know in Tennessee
Virologists around the world are raising warning flags about the spread of the avian flu virus H5N1, which affects birds, animals and humans. The bird flu, which has decimated poultry in the United States, has spread into cattle herds, and reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are showing human cases happening after they are in contact with animals that carry the disease. While the CDC rates H5N1 as a low risk as of May 1, virologists from 40 different countries are concerned about the spread to humans. In a paper published in The Lancet Regional Health–Americas, virologists warned that it could lead to another pandemic. "The recent emergence of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infections in dairy cows and humans in the U.S. has raised alarms regarding the potential for a pandemic," Global Virus Network (GVN) scientists wrote in the commentary. "Over 995 dairy cow herds and at least 70 humans have been affected, including cases of severe disease and the first reported H5N1-related death in the U.S." H5N1 is not a new virus. It is the same influenza that has been killing off millions of chickens in the U.S., leading to the price of eggs skyrocketing over the last few months. Variants of bird flu have been around for years, but the H5N1, an influenza A virus, variant was detected in 2024 and continues to plague the poultry industry. It has also started affecting large swaths of dairy herds in 17 states and has been transmitted to humans, according to CDC reports. The H5N1 bird flu is a highly contagious respiratory disease that primarily affects birds, but can be spread to other animals and even humans. The rise in human infections has spurred Global Virus Network (GVN) scientists to issue a warning and plea to world governments to improve surveillance, implement biosecurity measures and prepare for potential human-to-human transmission. 'In the U.S. sporadic human infections with no known contact with infected animals highlight the possibility of viral adaptation for efficient human-to-human transmission,' the scientists wrote. 'Concurrently, the virus continues to circulate in wild birds, backyard flocks, and hunted migratory species, further amplifying the risk to humans and domestic animals.' The concerns have led scientists to call for "urgent, proactive measures to prevent widespread outbreaks, leveraging lessons learned from prior pandemics." According to the CDC, nearly 1,000 dairy cow herds and more than 168 million poultry have been affected since 2022. The CDC has also reported 70 known cases of the H5 bird flu in humans and one death due to the virus. "While the current public health risk is low, CDC is watching the situation carefully and working with states to monitor people with animal exposures," read a statement from the CDC. Bird flu can cause coughing, body aches, fatigue, fever, pneumonia and other symptoms in humans. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: A new virus? No, but virologists warn bird flu could be next pandemic
Int'l Business Times
01-05-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
H5N1 Bird Flu Threat: Experts Sound Alarm Over Potential Pandemic As Infections Spread To All 50 US States
There is a possibility for virus adaptation and widespread infections among humans, they warned The latest data also revealed that there are "ongoing mutations" across the circulating avian influenza viruses The warning comes as the HHS pursues an overhaul of the US public health system Virology experts from across 40 countries have sounded the alarm over the rising threat of H5N1 avian flu, a subtype of the influenza A virus that causes respiratory disease in birds (avian influenza or bird flu), and has now affected humans too. In a commentary published this week in the medical journal The Lancet Regional Health – Americas, top virologists warned of the recent emergence of "highly pathogenic" H5N1 infections not only in dairy cows, but also in humans in the U.S. Dozens of individuals affected: Virologists According to the virologists, there have been over 995 dairy cows and at least 70 humans affected by the virus infections, including a severe case that became the "first reported H5N1-related death in the U.S." The infections were recorded from 2024 through April 2025, "with the epizootic now present in all 50 states and human cases in 13 states and Canada." They also cited a February report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that highlighted increased evidence of the virus's transmission to people. "While the H5N1 outbreak in dairy cows and associated farm workers has not resulted in sustained human-to-human transmission, the possibility of virus adaptation and widespread infections requires proactive and vigilant measures," they pointed out. They also urged leaders not just in the United States, but across the world, to improve preventive measures by utilizing all the knowledge painfully learned during the COVID-19 pandemic. Evidence shows the virus is mutating Aside from a growing number of people getting infected with the virus, sequencing data from circulating avian influenza viruses suggest "ongoing mutations and reassortment/mixing of genomic segments." The widespread viral circulation has apparently affected not only dairy cows, but also other mammal species, including suspected cases in sea lions and minks. "In mammals, these viruses may acquire mutations that increase their ability to transmit and replicate efficiently in mammals, eventually including humans," they warned, though they noted that such cases have yet to be demonstrated. How worried should Americans be? The virologists explained that in the past human H5N1 infections were primarily from bird-to-human transmission. However, recent data indicated that the situation had changed. Furthermore, the proportion of undiagnosed human infections is currently unknown, which further raises the risk of exposure and eventual infection. According to the experts, the following can play a role in the transmission of H5N1 to humans: Contaminated poultry products Improper pasteurization and improper cooking of poultry and dairy products Handling of infected poultry or cows Direct contact with products from infected cows or poultry Domestic pets that consume infected birds The experts have urged leaders to improve various measures to prevent the bird flu's spread, including for biosecurity and biocontainment in farms, as well as awareness campaigns to keep the public informed about the avian influenza. Warning comes at critical time in federal government The virology warning comes at a time when concerns are rife over the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which recently saw staff reductions across a wide range of professionals, including researchers and medical experts. The layoffs reportedly included some staff members of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) who worked on the agency's response to the bird flu. Despite the potential for a bird flu pandemic, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. seems committed to his initiative of overhauling the public health system and dismantling institutions he deems are not critical.
CBC
20-03-2025
- Health
- CBC
Bird flu is hitting the U.S. hard. Now, migratory birds are flying north
Bird flu is at a dangerous point in the United States: Nearly 167 million birds have been impacted by the H5N1 strain since 2022, and 70 people have been infected. Now, birds are flying our way for the spring migration season. A snow goose near Montreal, a great horned owl in southwestern Ontario, a Canada goose in Langley, B.C. — these are just some of the wild birds that have recently tested positive for H5N1 in Canada. But scientists are bracing for more, and are ramping up their efforts to monitor and curb the virus this season. This winter has seen more outbreaks of H5N1 than usual, said Dr. Manon Racicot, a veterinary epidemiologist with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que. "Now that the birds are coming back north for the migration, we don't really know what's coming to us. Will the birds still be infected? Will they be shedding the virus in the environment in Canada?" Adding to scientists' concern: Another strain of bird flu, H7N9, has been reported in a poultry farm in Mississippi, U.S. — a first since 2017. While it's not the dominant type of bird flu currently making the rounds in the U.S., H7N9 has a far higher death rate than H5N1, killing nearly 40 per cent of humans infected since it was detected in 2013. The infected birds have been killed, and the premises quarantined, said state authorities. One mutation away H5N1 has also crossed species, and adapted to mammalian hosts. Animals like seals, cats and dogs have died after mingling with wild birds, or eating raw pet food. Dairy cows in the U.S. have been getting sick in droves, with 989 herds affected across 17 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Bird flu does not appear to be easily transmissible between people, for now. But the strain of H5N1 circulating in cows in the U.S. is just one mutation away from being more transmissible between humans, suggests a study recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Science. And when it infects humans, the virus can be deadly. In January, a senior in Louisiana became the first H5N1-related human death in the U.S. Canada's only known case of H5N1 was confirmed two months earlier, in November: a teenager in British Columbia who was hospitalized for two months. We still don't know how she was infected. In both cases, genetic analysis suggested the virus had mutated to become more effective at attaching to cells in the upper respiratory tract. All this has scientists and physicians on high alert. "Quite frankly, a single case of avian influenza is very concerning because we do not want that virus to adapt to humans," said Dr. Danuta Skowronski, an epidemiologist at the B.C. Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC). "We all have a responsibility to shut that down as rapidly as possible to contain it. That's a global effort. We are communicating globally with the U.S., with the U.K., with wherever we can to ensure we get the best possible knowledge." Pulling out of WHO, scrambling to rehire employees With how much the disease is changing in the U.S. right now, it's critical that American authorities continue communicating with other countries and the World Health Organization (WHO), says Ian Brown, a leading avian influenza expert at the Pirbright Institute in the U.K. But the Trump administration is pulling the U.S. out of the WHO. It's also cutting funding and jobs at key agencies like the National Institutes of Health. "We know it's a sensitive situation. We know some of our colleagues, they may be at risk of not having a job," said Brown. It's early days, he says, but he fears there will be reduced information-sharing between American scientists and international counterparts. "Early signs are that the interaction we've been used to having, successfully for many years, may now be compromised." There have already been missteps. The agriculture department has scrambled to rehire employees working on the bird flu response, after mistakenly firing them during its swift purge of the federal workforce, on the recommendations of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. They've been having trouble getting them back, Politico reported. The WHO has already seen an impact on cuts for bird flu monitoring, sa id director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday. Is the U.S. speaking with Canada on bird flu? Thankfully, though, the U.S. is returning Canada's calls on human cases of bird flu, especially among those who work with infected poultry or dairy cattle, says Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada's chief public health officer. "I think public health at every level is trying to really be very vigilant about cases in those different populations and we are sharing information on an ongoing basis," said Tam. Canada relies on the U.S. to curb the virus effectively. On the animal health side, for instance, U.S. and Canadian officials work together to monitor bird flyways and keep a close eye on wild and domestic birds, sharing mutations of concern, as well as approximate locations of the infected birds. On the provincial level, too, teams in British Columbia are keeping close contact with counterparts in states like Washington, Oregon and Alaska, said Dr. Bonnie Henry, B.C.'s provincial health officer. "I think one of the things that helps us is the relationships we have, personal relationships." Canada also keeps a close eye on our dairy cows: The CFIA tests samples of raw milk arriving at processing plants. So far, all samples have come back negative, as of Feb. 28. Learning from COVID-19 But both Tam and Henry emphasize: it's important to beef up Canada's monitoring and be prepared, especially in case the virus changes and becomes more transmissible among humans, which could spark a pandemic. Those efforts include "increasing monitoring and vigilance, laboratory testing, ensuring that any human case is getting investigated," said Tam. Scientists at the BCCDC are among many in Canada already doing some of that preparatory work. "Through the pandemic, we've learned a lot about tools that public health can use to make their decisions," said Linda Hoang, medical director of its public health laboratory. The BCCDC is monitoring mutations that could make H5N1 more adapted to humans, developing antibody tests to monitor human exposure, and researching how bird flu is transmitted. It's all information that could be critical for decision-makers should the virus become more transmissible. Henry says she's confident — even if there are temporary bouts of silence from American counterparts — that Canadian surveillance is strong enough to keep a close eye on bird flu.
