GENEVA: Poland has become the first country to report a significant number of cats infected with bird flu across a wide geographical area, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed on Monday. While the risk of human infection remains low, the WHO expressed concern over the unprecedented spread of the virus among felines.
Since Polish health authorities alerted the WHO about an unusual rise in cat deaths across the country last month, a total of 29 cats have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of bird flu. Out of the 47 cats and one captive caracal tested, 14 infected animals were euthanized, while another 11 succumbed to the illness. The most recent death was reported on June 30.
While investigations are still ongoing, the source of the cats’ exposure to the virus remains unknown. The WHO stated that this is the first report of a large number of infected cats covering a broad geographic region within a single country.
Worst-ever Bird Flu Outbreak in Europe
Europe has been grappling with its worst-ever bird flu outbreak since late 2021, with severe outbreaks also occurring in North and South America. As a result, millions of poultry have been culled worldwide, many infected with the H5N1 strain that originated in 1996. Recent months have seen an alarming increase in infections among mammals.
The WHO highlighted that sporadic cases of H5N1 infection in cats have been reported previously. However, the current situation in Poland involving high numbers of infected cats is unprecedented. As of July 12, no individuals in contact with infected cats have reported any symptoms, and the surveillance period for all contacts has concluded.
The WHO assessed the risk of human infections resulting from exposure to infected cats as low for the general population in Poland. However, for individuals who have regular contact with H5N1-infected cats, such as cat owners and veterinarians, the risk was classified as low to moderate if personal protective equipment was not utilized.
Human cases of bird flu are rare but can lead to severe illness and high mortality rates. Infection typically occurs through direct or indirect exposure to infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments. The WHO has received 12 reports of human H5N1 cases worldwide since 2020, including four severe cases and eight mild or asymptomatic cases.
