The United Kingdom’s Health Security Agency has now contracted with a supplier to purchase more than 5 million doses of human H5N1 avian flu vaccine to prepare the country should an avian flu pandemic occur. The virus has been causing a prolonged global outbreak with new cases emerging in humans recently—although the risk still remains quite low. Poultry and dairy cattle are the most likely animals to experience outbreaks of the virus, and thousands of people exposed to infected animals are under surveillance for viral activity.
Current state: In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides regular updates on the spread of the virus, reporting 57 human cases of H5N1 avian flu in 7 states as of December 3. Meanwhile, 49 states are experiencing outbreaks in poultry, and 15 in dairy cattle. In late November, the first known infection in a child in the United States was reported in California.