More cats succumb to Bird Flu as Poland combats with pet-killing virus

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that Poland has become the first country to report a significant number of cats infected with bird flu across a wide area. Since Polish health authorities notified the WHO of unusual cat deaths last month, 29 cats in Poland have tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus.

Out of the 46 cats and one captive caracal tested for the virus, 14 of the infected animals were euthanized, and another 11 died. The source of the cats' exposure to the virus is currently unknown, and investigations are underway to determine its origin.

Europe has been grappling with its most severe outbreak of bird flu since late 2021, with notable outbreaks also occurring in North and South America. Consequently, millions of poultry worldwide have been culled, many of which were infected with the H5N1 strain that emerged in 1996. Recently, there has been a worrisome increase in infections among mammals.

While sporadic cases of cats being infected with H5N1 have been previously reported, this is the first instance of a high number of infected cats across a large geographic area within a country, according to the WHO.

As of July 12, no human contacts of the infected cats have reported any symptoms, and the surveillance period for all contacts has been completed. The WHO emphasizes that the risk of human infection following exposure to infected cats remains low for the general population in Poland. However, for cat owners, veterinarians, and individuals who may have frequent exposure to H5N1-infected cats without using personal protective equipment, the risk is considered low to moderate.

Although human cases of bird flu are rare, they can result in severe illness with a high mortality rate. Human infections with H5N1 typically occur through direct or indirect contact with infected live or dead poultry or contaminated environments. Since 2020, the WHO has received reports of 12 human H5N1 cases worldwide, with four being severe cases and eight being mild or asymptomatic.