Senegal
has reported an outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 bird flu on a poultry
farm, the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) said on Thursday.
The
outbreak, which occurred in the Thies region east of the capital Dakar, has
killed 58 000 birds in the 100 000-strong flock, with the remaining animals
culled, the OIE said, citing a report from Senegal’s veterinary services.
H5N1
– a type of influenza virus – causes a highly infectious, severe respiratory
disease in birds called avian influenza, or “bird flu”.
Humans
can occasionally contract H5N1 avian influenza, but transmission from an
infected person to another is difficult. When people do become infected, the
mortality rate is about 60%, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Infection
in people is mostly associated with close contact with infected live or dead
birds, or H5N1-contaminated environments.
So
far, there is no evidence that the disease can be spread to people through
properly prepared and thoroughly cooked food.
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