Bird flu numbers are ‘unprecedented.’ Here’s what experts say about the risk to humans – GLOBAL

February 26, 2023

The current global avian influenza (AI) outbreak has been “unprecedented,” but the risk of contracting the virus is still low for the general public, according to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Health Canada.

“Millions of birds have been affected worldwide, including more than 7.2 million in Canada,” the CFIA told Global News in an e-mail Thursday, adding that outbreaks are occurring in the United States and other countries around the world.

Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, normally spreads among a wide variety of bird species both domestic and wild. The virus can sometimes spread from bird to human, as was the case in Cambodia, where an 11-year-old girl, who lived near a conservation area, reportedly died from the virus.

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9509590/bird-flu-risk-to-humans/