PAHO launches interactive dashboard to monitor avian influenza A(H5N1) in the Americas – PAHO/WHO
Washington, DC, January 6, 2025 (PAHO)- The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has launched a interactive board to monitor cases of avian influenza A(H5N1) in the Americas. This tool is designed to improve access to data on outbreaks of this disease in birds, mammals and humans, providing key information for public and animal health authorities.
The panel features tables and maps showing outbreaks in humans, as well as domestic and wild birds and mammals across the region; the latter with data obtained from the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH). Through this resource, PAHO strengthens its active surveillance efforts to prevent the possible transmission of the disease to humans.
Between January 1 and December 31, 2024, the platform registered 66 confirmed human cases in the United States and one in Canada, as well as more than 1,300 outbreaks in animals in several countries in the region.
In December 2024, PAHO published an assessment of the public health risks associated with the possible emergence 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.
The platform not only provides data on outbreaks but also on the symptoms that patients present, based on the information provided by the countries. This level of detail can help public health authorities be better prepared to detect and make informed and rapid decisions during an outbreak.
PAHO has also published a timeline on avian influenza in the Americas, covering key events from 2020 to December 2024.
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.
The data underscore the importance of regional and global collaboration to monitor the spread of zoonotic diseases such as avian influenza A (H5N1) and mitigate their potential impact. For more detailed and up-to-date information on avian influenza A(H5N1) in the Americas, visit PAHO’s interactive dashboard at the following link: shiny.paho-phe.org/h5n1/
