An expert has calls for work to start on a vaccine against bird flu in case the illness "jumps" to humans. Scientists have expressed concern about how far across the world avian influenza is spreading and say its spread should be closely monitored.
Avian influenza has been detected as far away as South America and the virus has also killed mammals such as sea lions, mink, foxes and otters. It is infecting wild bird populations across the globe and they say it could potentially infect some species, perhaps even endangered ones, that have never before been in contact with the flu - creating uncertainty about how they will react to the virus.
Professor Ian Brown, head of virology at the UK's Animal and Plant Health Agency, said spread of the virus to mammals raised the threat to humans. He told Sky News: "Any spillover event [to other species] on the scale we are seeing increases the risk. We know from COVID that pandemic preparation takes time, to get vaccines, antivirals and therapeutics.
