Health officials confirmed today that two more poultry workers have tested positive for bird flu, both of whom are British and work at different locations in England. The individuals have been infected with the H5N1 strain, although specific details about their identity such as age, sex, and location have not been disclosed by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA). This brings the total number of British cases to three since the ongoing outbreak began in October 2021. Globally, there have been less than 900 recorded cases of H5N1 in humans, and the virus has a mortality rate of nearly 50%.
The H5N1 virus is usually contracted through close contact with infected birds, whether dead or alive. According to an analysis of government data by MailOnline, County Durham, Northumberland, and Argyll and Bute are among the areas most affected by the outbreak. Earlier this year, Alan Gosling, a retired engineer in Devon, contracted the virus after his ducks, some of which lived inside his home, became infected. However, he later tested negative after spending nearly three weeks in quarantine.
In May, two British poultry workers tested positive for bird flu, marking only the second and third human cases ever recorded in Britain. There have been no signs of human-to-human transmission within the UK. Today, the UKHSA provided an update stating that the first new case experienced symptoms such as a sore throat and muscle aches, although it is unclear if these were directly caused by the virus. None of the individual’s three household contacts showed any symptoms. The second case and their three household contacts also remained asymptomatic.
Approximately 50 other individuals who work at the affected locations were tested for bird flu and all received negative results. It is uncertain whether the two positive cases represented “true infections” where the virus replicated in their noses, posing a risk to others, or if the virus was present due to contamination. The UKHSA stated that more information is needed to interpret the first case, while the second case is likely due to contamination.
These potential bird flu cases were detected through asymptomatic testing. Workers who are in close proximity to infected birds can be exposed to the virus through dust and virus fragments in the air, on the ground, and on their clothing. In recent months, bird flu restrictions have been implemented in sites across South Yorkshire, Wales, Sussex, Lincolnshire, and Cumbria.
Bird handlers and individuals who spend a significant amount of time with infected creatures, like birds, are at higher risk of contracting bird flu. Symptoms in humans may include a high temperature, muscle aches, headache, cough, shortness of breath, diarrhea, stomach pain, bleeding from the nose and gums, and conjunctivitis. It is crucial for people to avoid touching sick or dead birds as the virus is highly lethal, with a fatality rate of up to 56% among those it infects.
Although the H5N1 avian influenza strain does not easily transmit between humans, there is concern that mutations within the virus could enable mammal-to-mammal transmission. UK scientists studying bird flu have developed scenarios suggesting that 5% of infected individuals could die if the virus were to spread extensively among humans.
Avian flu is an infectious type of influenza that primarily affects birds but can be transmitted to humans through close contact with infected birds. This includes touching infected birds, their droppings, or bedding. Wild birds, particularly during migration, are carriers of the virus. Several strains of bird flu, including H5N1 and H3N8, are currently spreading. The H5N1 strain has been detected in approximately 80 million birds and poultry globally since September 2021 and is considered the deadliest variant so far. In rare cases, bird flu can infect humans, but the risk is generally low. However, precautions should be taken to avoid contact with sick or dead birds due to the virus’s lethal nature.
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