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Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events in animals and people

Assessment based on data as of 18 November 2024











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    Booklet
    Technical brief
    Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events in animals and people
    Assessment based on data as of 1 July 2025
    2025
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    This risk assessment from FAO, WHO and WOAH updates the assessment of the risk of zoonotic transmission (for example, animal to human) considering additional information made available since the previous assessment of 17 April 2025. This update is limited to the inclusion of additional information being made available globally. Due to the potential risk to human health and the far-reaching implications of the disease on the health of wild birds, poultry, livestock and other animal populations, timely notification to global authorities and the use of a One Health approach are essential to tackle avian influenza effectively, to monitor and characterize virus circulation, to prevent transmission within species and to new species to reduce spread among animals, and to prevent human infections from exposure to animals.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Booklet
    Technical brief
    Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH public health assessment of recent influenza A(H5) virus events in animals and people
    Assessment based on data as of 1 March 2025
    2025
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    During 2020, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses and spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. This epizootic event has led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and caused outbreaks in poultry. In late 2021, these viruses crossed the Atlantic Ocean to North America and subsequently reached South America in October 2022, and the Antarctica Region in October 2023. Over the past few years, there have been increased detections of A(H5N1) viruses in non-avian species globally including wild and domestic (companion and farmed) terrestrial and marine mammals, with recent cases in livestock in the United States of America. The majority of A(H5N1) viruses characterized genetically since 2020 belong to the haemagglutinin (HA) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, with some regional exceptions.This risk assessment from FAO, WHO, and WOAH updates the assessment of the risk of zoonotic transmission (for example, animal to human) considering additional information made available since the previous assessment of 20 December 2024. This update is limited to the inclusion of additional information being made available globally. Due to the potential risk to human health and the far-reaching implications of the disease on the health of wild birds, poultry, livestock and other animal populations, the use of a One Health approach is essential to tackle avian influenza effectively, to monitor and characterize virus circulation, to prevent within species and to new species transmission, to reduce spread among animals, and to prevent human infections from exposure to animals.
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    Policy brief
    Policy brief
    Updated joint FAO/WHO/WOAH assessment of recent influenza A(H5N1) virus events in animals and people
    14 August 2024
    2024
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    During 2020, high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N1) clade 2.3.4.4b viruses arose from previously circulating influenza A(H5Nx) viruses and spread predominantly via migratory birds to many parts of Africa, Asia and Europe. This epizootic event has led to unprecedented numbers of deaths in wild birds and caused outbreaks in poultry. In late 2021, these viruses crossed the Atlantic Ocean to North America and subsequently reached South America in October 2022. Over the past few years, there have been increased detections of A(H5N1) viruses in non-avian species globally including wild and domestic (companion and farmed) terrestrial and marine mammals, with recent cases in livestock in the United States of America. The majority of A(H5N1) viruses characterized genetically since 2020 belong to the haemagglutinin (HA) H5 clade 2.3.4.4b, with some regional exceptions. Since the beginning of 2021, 35 detections of A(H5N1) virus in humans have been reported to WHO, along with five cases of A(H5) virus detection in persons exposed to A(H5N1) infected animals. Of these human cases where the A(H5) clade is known (n = 31), 17 have been caused by clade 2.3.4.4b viruses.

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    The FAOSTAT emissions database is composed of several data domains covering the categories of the IPCC Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector of the national GHG inventory. Energy use in agriculture is additionally included as relevant to emissions from agriculture as an economic production sector under the ISIC A statistical classification, though recognizing that, in terms of IPCC, they are instead part of the Energy sector of the national GHG inventory. FAO emissions estimates are available over the period 1961–2018 for agriculture production processes from crop and livestock activities. Land use emissions and removals are generally available only for the period 1990–2019. This analytical brief focuses on overall trends over the period 2000–2018.
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    FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031 2022
    The FAO Strategy on Climate Change 2022–2031 was endorsed by FAO Council in June 2022. This new strategy replaces the previous strategy from 2017 to better FAO's climate action with the Strategic Framework 2022-2031, and other FAO strategies that have been developed since then. The Strategy was elaborated following an inclusive process of consultation with FAO Members, FAO staff from headquarters and decentralized offices, as well as external partners. It articulates FAO's vision for agrifood systems by 2050, around three main pillars of action: at global and regional level, at country level, and at local level. The Strategy also encourages key guiding principles for action, such as science and innovation, inclusiveness, partnerships, and access to finance.
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    Russian Federation: Meat sector review
    Country highlights prepared under the FAO/EBRD Cooperation
    2014
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    World food demand has seen massive changes, including a shift from staple foods to animal proteins and vegetable oils. In the short to medium term, this trend in global food demand will continue. There will be an increased demand for vegetable oils, meat, sugar, dairy products and livestock feed made from coarse grains and oilseed meals. There are numerous mid-term forecasts for the Russian Federation’s meat sector. Most of them agree on the following trends: (i) the consumption of poultry and p ork meat will increase; (ii) the consumption of beef will decrease or stabilize; and (iii) the Russian Federation will remain a net importer of meat on the world market. According to OECD and FAO projections, meat imports from the Russian Federation will decrease from 3 to 1.3 million tonnes, owing to an anticipated growth in domestic chicken meat and pork production. The country’s share in global meat imports is anticipated to decrease from 12 percent in 2006–2010, to 4 percent in 2021. While t he Russian Federation will continue to play an important role in the international meat market, it will fall from its position as the largest meat importing country in 2006–2010 to the fourth largest global meat importer by 2021, behind Japan, sub-Saharan African countries, and Saudi Arabia.