FAO warning: avian influenza now a global threat to food systems and health

The Food and Agriculture Organization warns that avian influenza has expanded beyond poultry, posing a worldwide risk to ecosystems, livelihoods, and human health, as the virus spreads across species and borders.

The Food and Agriculture Organization has warned that avian influenza is no longer just a poultry disease, but a widening transboundary threat to food systems, livelihoods and public health.

In a recent message, the UN agency said the virus is spreading across species and borders, affecting wild birds, domestic flocks, livestock, pets and, in some cases, people. It also said the pathogen continues to mutate, raising the likelihood that it will adapt to new hosts and become harder to track and control.

FAO has said outbreaks have now been reported across Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas, underlining the scale of the challenge for governments and the poultry industry. Since 2003, highly pathogenic avian influenza has led to the loss of hundreds of millions of birds globally, with knock-on costs from culling, trade restrictions and wider disruption.

The agency is backing a One Health response, working with governments and international partners on surveillance, early detection, vaccination where appropriate, and rapid response. It is also urging stronger cross-border cooperation and better biosecurity on farms.

The World Health Organisation, FAO and the World Organisation for Animal Health recently said the public health risk from current H5 viruses remains low overall, but stressed that timely reporting and coordinated monitoring remain essential.