In an interview with Tass news agency, Head of the Russian Federation’s Consumer Health and Monitoring Agency (Rospotrebnadzor), Anna Popova announced that avian influenza A virus (H5N8), detected in some Russians in February, has the ability to mutate rapidly and can be transmitted from person to person.
According to Anna Popova, the forecasts show the degree of probability for this scenario is quite high, and emphasize that Russia now has time to develop trials and create a vaccine to respond to such a scenario.
“Luckily if there is no need for vaccines. But if we do, we will be ready for it. We can already predict and warn the international community of such a threat.”
Previously, in February 2021, scientists at the Vector Center confirmed the first cases in the world infected with avian influenza A virus (H5N8). Virus was detected in 7 employees of a poultry farm in southern Russia.