A mutating form of avian flu that has surfaced in Russia has “a fairly high probability” of human-to-human transmission, the country’s health watchdog chief warned in a report.
Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, made the worrying prediction nearly a month after scientists discovered the first case of H5N8 transmission to humans at a poultry farm in southern Russia, the Moscow Times reported.
Humans can become infected with other subtypes of avian and swine flu, but the H5N8 strain – which is deadly to birds – has never been reported to have spread among humans before.
“This is likely to happen. Colleagues say the mutation is proceeding very actively, “Popova said, adding that Rospotrebnadzor and the Siberian-based Vektor state research lab have time to develop a test kit and vaccine and then” monitor the situation. “
‘If we don’t need it, it’s a lucky holiday. But if necessary, we will be ready, ”Russia’s chief sanitary doctor told Russian news agency TASS.
“In other words, we can warn the entire world community of the threat.”
Last month, Popova reported the first case of the H5N8 strain passing from birds to the World Health Organization to humans, Reuters said.
In addition to Russia and Europe, outbreaks of H5N8 have been reported in China, the Middle East and North Africa in recent months, but so far only in poultry.
Other strains of avian flu, such as H5N1, H7N9 and H9N2, are known to spread to humans.
Seven workers at a Russian poultry factory were infected with the H5N8 mutation during a December outbreak at the factory, Popova said, adding that everyone was recovering quickly.
“This situation has not evolved,” she said at the end of February.