A new strain of avian influenza called H5N6 is spread across southeast Asia and threatens animal health as well as the livelihood of farmers, said the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, in calling for close monitored of the disease. H5N6 was found in China in April and has been detected in Vietnam and Laos since then. FAO said the “bird flu” was highly pathogenic among chickens and geese, making it a peril for farmers. “Poultry contributes to the incomes of hundreds of millions of people throughout the subregion,” said FAO. There has been one human case, a fatality, from H5N6.
“An H5N6 outbreak or outbreaks could potentially overwhelm animal health systems in Southeast Asia. An earlier strain of the virus, H5N1, has already impacted the livelihoods of millions of people and caused billions of dollars of damage,” said FAO. The World Health Organization said H5N6 appeared to pose a limited risk to humans. FAO and WHO urged scrutiny in Southeast and East Asia for signs of the disease and for consumers to follow food-safety practices.