TOPIC

Bird flu viruses

Avian influenza - more commonly known as bird flu - is a disease caused by the influenza A virus. It is adapted to birds, but capable of crossing over to human beings, with the H5N1 variant being probably the best known. In 2023, the H3N8 variant killed a woman in China - making her the first person to die of this strain.

last updated:

9 September, 2024

This colourised electron microscope image shows avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles (yellow). File photo: CDC/NIAID via AP

United States

First severe human case of bird flu in US sparks alarm

Louisiana case, along with a recent severe case in Canada, has heightened concerns about a potential bird flu pandemic.

19 Dec 2024 - 10:12AM

Disease

How close is the next pandemic?

5 Dec 2024 - 6:00PM

Science

How close is the next pandemic? Chinese researchers have new clues

6 Dec 2024 - 12:50AMvideocam

Canada

Teen in critical condition with Canada’s first presumptive human case of bird flu

Officials are trying to figure out how the teen – who had no farm exposure – was infected.

13 Nov 2024 - 10:31AM

Avian influenza A H5N1 virus particles. Photo: CDC/NIAID via AP

Disease

US spots 1st H5N1 bird flu case in a pig, raising concern for humans

There is concern that hybrid viruses can emerge from pigs with characteristics that allow them to infect humans more easily.

31 Oct 2024 - 5:20AMvideocam

Australia

‘Ensure there’s eggs’: Bird flu hits McDonald’s breakfasts in Australia

McDonald’s Australia has cut breakfast service by 1-1/2 hours, the company said, after a shortage of eggs caused by bird flu outbreaks led to the slaughter of about 1.5 million chickens.

2 Jul 2024 - 5:35PM

Disease

WHO confirms first fatal human case of bird flu A(H5N2) subtype

The victim, a 59-year-old Mexico resident, had no history of exposure to poultry or other animals.

6 Jun 2024 - 10:52AMvideocam

The WHO said the current risk of bird flu virus to the general population is low. Photo: Reuters

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hongkongers warned over touching wild birds amid possible H5 avian flu mutation

Ivan Hung of University of Hong Kong says signs of mutation in H5N1 bird flu virus could make mammals more likely to be infected than before.

25 May 2024 - 7:48PM

World Health Organization (WHO)

H5N1 strain of bird flu found in milk from infected cows, WHO says

Cows and goats – previously thought not susceptible – have joined the list of infected animals, and a US farmworker has caught the disease after exposure to cattle.

20 Apr 2024 - 4:48AMvideocam

World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO says human cases of bird flu ‘an enormous concern’

The World Health Organization voiced alarm at the growing spread of H5N1 bird flu to new species, including humans, who face an ‘extraordinarily high’ mortality rate.

19 Apr 2024 - 1:13PM

Researchers wearing protective suits collect samples of wildlife, where the H5N1 bird flu virus was detected, at Chilean Antarctic Territory, Antarctica. Photo: Instituto Antartico Chileno via Reuters

United States

US records second-ever human bird flu case, concerns over global strain

Infected person is recovering from virus after being exposed to dairy cattle. Disease has sickened herds in Texas, Kansas and other states in recent days.

2 Apr 2024 - 4:41AM

Herds of cows in US states including Texas and Kansas have tested positive for bird flu in recent days. Photo: AP

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong halts poultry meat imports from parts of US, UK, Poland over bird flu

Centre for Food Safety says it has instructed traders to suspend import of poultry meat and products from relevant areas with immediate effect.

12 Dec 2023 - 1:35AM

Americas and the Caribbean

Brazil scrambles to isolate bird flu virus that killed 900 seals, sea lions

In addition to outbreaks in birds, seals and sea lions, officials have collected samples of dead porpoises and penguins found on beaches, with no confirmed results.

11 Dec 2023 - 6:43PM

Singapore

Singapore suspends poultry imports from parts of Japan, US over bird flu fears

The places include four Japanese prefectures as well as several regions in the US, Canada, France, Belgium and Germany.

10 Dec 2023 - 9:30PM

Singapore suspends poultry imports from parts of Japan, US over bird flu fears. Photo: Shutterstock

Disease

Bird flu detected in Antarctica region for first time

Discovery raises concerns the deadly virus could pose a threat to penguins and other local species.

25 Oct 2023 - 11:20AM

King penguins on South Georgia Island in the South Atlantic Ocean. Photo: Shutterstock

World Health Organization (WHO)

WHO worried bird flu might adapt to humans ‘more easily’

There has been a surge of outbreaks in mammals, which are biologically closer to humans.

13 Jul 2023 - 7:34AMvideocam

Hong Kong healthcare and hospitals

Hong Kong should test for H3N8 bird flu after Guangdong woman dies, experts say

Experts say H3N8 bird flu variant is rarely fatal, does not spread easily and there is no need for public alarm.

13 Apr 2023 - 9:18PM

Japan

Eggs luxury items in Japan as bird flu outbreak worsens

13 Apr 2023 - 2:30PM

01:34

Health in China

Chinese woman dies of H3N8, marking first human fatality from bird flu strain

World Health Organization confirms death of 56-year-old patient in Guangdong province but stresses likelihood of human-to-human transmission remains low.

12 Apr 2023 - 6:20PMvideocam

Hong Kong reopens

Hong Kong scientist’s life threatened 3 times in 26 years while studying outbreaks

Government pandemic adviser Professor Yuen Kwok-yung says he received threats after repeatedly calling for ban on sale of live animals at wet markets.

24 Mar 2023 - 2:50PM

Cambodia

Bird flu kills 11-year-old girl in Cambodia

The girl from rural Prey Veng became ill on February 16 and was sent to hospital in Phnom Penh, where she died on Wednesday.

23 Feb 2023 - 6:49PM

Ducks near Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where an 11-year-old girl has died from bird flu. Photo: AP

United States

Why sick minks are reigniting worries about bird flu spreading to humans

As bird flu hits more and varied animals, like at a mink farm in Spain, the fear is that the virus could evolve to spread more easily between people, and potentially trigger a pandemic.

19 Feb 2023 - 9:09AMvideocam

sick minks are reigniting worries about bird flu spreading to humans. Photo: AP/File

Disease

Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop ‘war’ on poultry

Avian flu has reached new corners of the globe and become endemic for the first time in some wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry.

16 Feb 2023 - 12:28PM

Disease

As bird flu spreads to mammals, WHO urges vigilance but no alarm

The UN health body says the risk to humans is low ‘for the moment’, though the spillover to animals like foxes, sea lions and bears needs to be watched closely.

9 Feb 2023 - 8:38AMvideocam

India

India cracks the eggs market, Malaysia shells out

Acute shortages are the result of soaring feed prices caused by Ukraine war which forced many Malaysian farmers to cut output, but a new government subsidy is expected to aid recovery.

21 Jan 2023 - 6:30PMvideocam

An employee inspects an egg in an incubator at a hatchery near Mumbai. Photo: Reuters

Germany

Berlin confirms case of bird flu at central zoo as it shuts gates

According to the zoo, the infection in a deceased hammer-headed stork or hamerkop – a wading bird – was discovered during a routine check.

19 Nov 2022 - 1:25AM

The entrance to Berlin Zoo in Berlin, Germany on Friday which has shut its doors to visitors after one of its aquatic birds tested positive for avian flu. Photo: dpa via AP

Coronavirus China

‘Tridemic’ warning of Covid, flu and reduced immunity in China this winter

Zhong Nanshan, China’s top respiratory expert, among experts warning of parallel risks as pandemic measures, reduced immunity and chill affect public health.

3 Nov 2022 - 1:55PMvideocam

Africa

Bird flu outbreak: 500,000 chickens die in Burkina Faso

The outbreak of the highly pathogenic H1N1 strain of avian flu was detected late December; around 500,000 chickens have since died of the disease or been culled.

16 Jan 2022 - 3:47AM

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