Global HPAI H5 Threatens Pakistan: Experts Warn of Unpreparedness Amid Rising Wildlife Deaths

• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A (HPAI) H5 virus is a growing global threat to wildlife, ecosystems, and human health.
• Experts warn Pakistan lacks institutional and scientific capacity to monitor, assess, and deal with the HPAI H5 virus.
• The HPAI H5 virus has spread across continents since 2021, causing a four-fold increase in cases in Europe in 2023 and affecting both birds and mammals.
• Pakistan's surveillance is limited to poultry, with no organized system or specialized labs for wildlife health, increasing cross-species transmission risk.
• Migratory birds are major carriers; there's no effective treatment or vaccine, making culling the primary control measure.

Why It Matters: Pakistan faces a severe HPAI H5 threat due to global spread and critical lack of preparedness.