"Avian Influenza, the Next Pandemic After COVID-19"
"Concerns Over Human-to-Human Transmission... Rapid Response Needed"
Access to a laying hen farm in Anseong-si, Gyeonggi-do, where avian influenza (AI) antigen was confirmed on January 9, is being restricted. [Photo by Yonhap News]
As avian influenza (bird flu) spreads worldwide, warnings have been raised domestically that avian influenza could become the "next pandemic."
On the 24th, CSL Seqirus, a global influenza vaccine provider, held a press conference on "Avian Influenza" at a hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, introducing the current status of the avian influenza outbreak and response strategies.
Professor Lee Jae-gap, an infectious disease specialist at Hallym University Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, who presented on "Avian Influenza: Risks, Latest Trends, and Korea's Response Strategies," stated, "Although there have been no cases of human-to-human transmission of avian influenza yet, compared to a few years ago, zoonotic infections transmitted from animals to humans have become more frequent recently," adding, "The academic community considers avian influenza highly likely to be the next pandemic following COVID-19."
Avian influenza is a virus that infects chickens, ducks, turkeys, and wild birds. Until now, infections have been reported in poultry (ducks, chickens, etc.), wild birds, and mammals, but it has rarely spread to humans. However, recently, cases of this virus infecting humans have been reported. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), from early 2003 to early April this year, there have been 889 reported human cases of avian influenza infection across 23 countries worldwide.
The bigger issue is the fatality rate. Although human infections with avian influenza have been rare, the mortality rate once infected exceeds 50%. According to overseas reports of human infections, among 902 people infected with H5N1, 466 died, resulting in a fatality rate of 51.7%. Robert Redfield, former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), explained that when highly pathogenic avian influenza transmits to humans, the death rate is "probably significant, between 25% and 50%" compared to COVID-19. He also expressed concern that "a pandemic caused by highly pathogenic avian influenza is only a matter of time."
Professor Lee warned, "So far, the absence of 'human-to-human transmission' is somewhat fortunate, but after transmission from animals like cattle or pigs to humans, it could shift to human-to-human transmission at any time," adding, "If genetic mutations lead to human-to-human variants, it will become a new pandemic."
Meanwhile, CSL Seqirus is a global influenza vaccine specialist company that has made significant contributions to influenza prevention worldwide. It has produced vaccines during pandemics such as the Spanish flu (1918), Asian flu (1957), Hong Kong flu (1968), H1N1 flu (2009), and COVID-19, continuously innovating influenza vaccine technology.
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