WASHINGTON, United States (CMC) — The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched an interactive dashboard to monitor avian influenza A(H5N1) cases in the Americas including the Caribbean.
“As concerns grow over the spread of this disease, the availability of accurate, real-time information is crucial for authorities to prepare, prevent new outbreaks and protect public and animal health in the region,” PAHO said.
It said the data underscores the importance of regional and global collaboration to monitor the spread of zoonotic diseases like avian influenza A(H5N1) and mitigate its potential impact.
PAHO said that the dashboard is designed to improve access to data on outbreaks of the disease in birds, mammals and humans, providing key information for public and animal health authorities.
The dashboard features tables and maps showing outbreaks in humans, as well as in domestic and wild birds and mammals across the region, the latter with data sourced from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH).
PAHO said that through this resource, it is strengthening its active surveillance efforts to prevent potential transmission of the disease to humans.
Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, the platform recorded 66 confirmed human cases in the United States and one in Canada, as well as over 1,300 outbreaks in animals in various countries across the region.
In December last year, PAHO published an assessment of the public health risks associated with the potential occurrence of zoonotic avian influenza A(H5N1) in Latin America and the Caribbean, classifying the risk as moderate. To date, human-to-human transmission has not been identified.
PAHO said that the platform not only provides data on outbreaks but also on symptoms presented by patients, based on information provided by countries. This level of detail can help public health authorities be better prepared to detect and make informed, swift decisions during an outbreak.
PAHO has also published a timeline on avian influenza in the Americas, covering key events from 2020 to December 2024.