H5N1: bird flu in mammals stoking fears of human ‘spill-over’

Avian flu in foxes, otters and mink has led to calls for greater international action

National Trust rangers wear protective suits and masks
National Trust rangers wear protective suits and masks on Inner Farne Island, a National Trust seabird sanctuary, on 5 August 2022, in Seahouses, England
(Image credit: Ken Jack/Getty Images)

The spread of bird flu to mammals, including foxes and otters in Britain, has stoked fears that the virus could one day pass between humans in a pandemic like Covid-19.

The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) maintains that the avian influenza H5N1 virus is still primarily a disease of birds, but experts around the world are “looking at the risks of it spilling over into other species”, said the BBC.

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Arion McNicoll is a freelance writer at The Week Digital and was previously the UK website’s editor. He has also held senior editorial roles at CNN, The Times and The Sunday Times. Along with his writing work, he co-hosts “Today in History with The Retrospectors”, Rethink Audio’s flagship daily podcast, and is a regular panellist (and occasional stand-in host) on “The Week Unwrapped”. He is also a judge for The Publisher Podcast Awards.