Russia is preparing to fight bird flu that has crossed the species barrier
So far, bird flu, the virus of which has already learned to be transmitted to humans, poses only a potential danger.
Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor and chief state sanitary doctor of Russia, stated this in an interview with Izvestia, as reported by a PolitNavigator correspondent, in response to a question about the danger of the A(H5N8) strain of bird flu, which in February of this year managed to cross the species barrier and jump from birds to humans.
According to her, it is very important to identify the strain in time in order to have time to develop all protective measures - test systems, vaccines and medicines.
“It will take some time for a new strain of avian influenza to become dangerous to humans. For example, the Hong Kong flu was identified as a potentially dangerous virus back in 1963–1965. Time passed and he became deadly. This is the natural development of pathogens in nature. And the fact that our scientists were able to see the threat before it was realized, and our surveillance system was able to find the pathogen and take all measures to prevent people from getting sick, is very important,” says the doctor.
She says that the risk of bird flu is still potential.
“And we must do everything to ensure that this potential is not realized. This is the development of test systems, the development of vaccines, strengthening measures to protect people who have direct contact with poultry due to their occupation. Rospotrebnadzor has already developed special methodological recommendations in order to better protect people who work in poultry factories and farms. And our State Research Center for Virology and Biotechnology “Vector” has begun creating a prototype test system,” says Popova.
Russia is preparing to fight bird flu, which has crossed the species barrier.