Throughout 2023 and 2024, outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 viruses have been reported in avian and mammalian species in several regions including Africa, Asia, Europe, North America and Antartica .1-3 By late March 2024, the virus was first reported in livestock in the United States, and human cases of avian influenza associated with exposure to infected dairy cattle have subsequently been identified.4-6
Since May 2024, there have been outbreaks of HPAI H7 viruses in poultry in several states in Australia, that have spilled over from wild birds.7 CSL Seqirus is monitoring the situation closely, however the global human health preparedness effort remains focused on HPAI H5.
Outbreaks of HPAI H5 have heightened concerns that it could potentially escalate into a pandemic. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in the United States currently assesses the public health risk as low.3 They continue to monitor the situation closely and are working with health authorities to manage and contain any HPAI outbreaks.
"As a leader in pandemic preparedness, CSL Seqirus is fully committed to acting swiftly and in alignment with global health policies should the need arise,” said Dave Ross, General Manager of CSL Seqirus. "Since the initial reports of HPAI, we have been actively communicating with governments and international bodies, and we are proud to champion pandemic preparedness.”
Effective pandemic preparedness and response necessitate a collaborative effort across various sectors globally. CSL Seqirus collaborates with over thirty governments worldwide, including the Australian Government, leveraging our network of state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities across three continents in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
CSL Seqirus is dedicated to remaining at the front line of public health and will persist in closely monitoring the avian influenza developments in collaboration with our global partners.