YEREVAN, MARCH 1, ARMENPRESS. The world community should prepare for a new pandemic that may occur due to bird flu transmitted from person to person, ARMENPRESS reports, World Health Organization (WHO) epidemiologist Richard Peabody announced in an interview with El Pais newspaper.

"There is concern that bird flu will acquire the ability to spread from person to person, and sustainably, and may cause a new pandemic. We must be ready for it. The scientific community is studying the genetic sequence of these viruses in order to track them, as well as to develop vaccines that will be available in case of need," he said.

According to an epidemiologist, the new outbreak of bird flu, which has killed millions of wild and domestic birds worldwide, began two to three years ago due to a special strain of the A(H5N1) virus.

"We want to say that you should be vigilant. It is important that people do not pick up dead or dying birds or other animals, and that that poultry factory workers are well protected," Peabody noted.

According to WHO data, 873 cases of human infection with bird flu were recorded in the world in 2003-2023, which resulted in 458 deaths.