The World Health Organization (WHO) announced today that dozens of cats in Poland are infected with bird flu, and there is a risk that the virus can be transmitted to humans, although it has not yet been registered.
Late last month, Polish authorities notified WHO officials of the unusual deaths of more than 45 cats in 13 regions of the country.
Testing last Sunday found that 29 of those cats were infected with the H5N1 virus.
The announcement states that this is the first time that such a large number of infected cats have been reported in such a large area in one country.
The WHO said the risk of people in Poland being infected with bird flu is "low" to "moderate" for those who have been in contact with the cats, including cat owners and veterinarians.
Since last year, authorities in 10 countries have reported outbreaks of bird flu in mammals, including farmed marten in Spain, seals in the US and sea lions in Peru and Chile.
Since June, the latest H5N1 variant has been reported in birds and other animal species in Asia, Africa, Europe and the Americas. The WHO announced that since 2020, ten cases of human infection have been reported worldwide.
Scientists worry that the increasing number of H5N1 cases, especially in animals that have contact with humans, could lead to a mutated version of the virus that could easily spread among people, triggering another pandemic.
Bonus video:
