A ProMED post on December 4th reported that health authorities in Cyprus diagnosed two cases of avian influenza in  caretakers of waterfowl collections in the Paralimni Lake region near Famagusta. There was no mention of how the diagnosis was confirmed, either by PCR assay of nasal swabs or on serology. The post did not indicate the serotype of influenza virus, but it is presumed to be H5N1, given the prevalence of this strain among migratory waterfowl using Cyprus as an intermediate rest stop in their southward migration across the Mediterranean Sea. A subsequent December 6th post based on a news report quoting authorities retracted the announcement of the two diagnoses.

There was however no confusion over the infection of birds held in the collections Authorities euthanized the flocks and implemented quarantine and surveillance. Consumers were assured that the outbreak, limited to the two exotic aviaries did not represent a danger of infection to the general population. 

The original posting documented a single case of H5N1 Avian Influenza in a 38-year-old resident of Qinzhou, in Guangxi Province who had contact with domestic poultry before onset of symptoms.  As with many health events in China, the official notification to the WHO was delayed, with the case having occurred during late September, ending fatally during mid-October.  To date, 54 human cases of avian influenza have been reported from the mainland of China.  This is the first fatal human case since a report from Nepal in 2019.

The need for vaccination against human strains of influenza in the general population and specifically, those having contact with poultry is self-evident to avoid a recombinant event. In the U.S. currently 95 percent of cases are infected with influenza A with H3N2 predominating, responsible for 80 percent of all U.S. patient isolates that are characterized.