Scientists will monitor the virus, but UK health chiefs say the risk to the public is very low.
with the avian influenza H5N1 virus reported from 21 countries. Of these, 457 were fatal.
Dr Wenqing Zhang, the head of WHO's global influenza programme, said of the threat posed by the virus spilling over: "It is very concerning and the risk has been increasing over the years as reflected in the number of outbreaks in animals as well as a number of infections in humans." It also shows 119 outbreaks affecting mammals, with about 200 individual cases recorded - although a WOAH spokesperson warned the spread to mammals was likely to be under-reported.
But he added: "On the other hand, it could also be an indicator that there is a change in the epidemiology of the disease or a change in the dynamic of the disease. And that will require close monitoring. It is now looking to develop new ways of testing humans who have been exposed to the disease but may be asymptomatic
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