A spokesman for the World Health Organization said Tuesday that communication on avian flu had become challenging since the president of the United States, Donald Trump, announced a withdrawal from the United Nations Health Agency.
When asked about the communication received by Washington's WHO at the H5N1 outbreak, Christian Lindmeier said a press conference in Geneva: “Communication is a challenge. Traditional forms of contact have been cut. “
He refused to elaborate.
An American outbreak of the H5N1 virus has infected almost 70 people, mostly agricultural workers, since April 2024. The United States Department of Agriculture first reported last week that a second avian flu strain was found in the Dairy cattle in Nevada, a discovery. That increased concerns about the outbreak of the United States.
According to WHO rules known as International Health Regulations (IHR), countries have binding obligations to communicate in public health events that have the potential to cross borders. These include advising WHO immediately about an emergency of health and measures on trade and travel.
Other countries have expressed their concern in private about the idea that the United States would stop communicating about emerging viruses that could become the next pandemic. “If such a big country no longer informs, what message does it send?” A western diplomat said in Geneva.
Argentina has also said that it plans to retire from WHO, citing “deep differences” regarding the management of agency's health problems, especially COVID-19 pandemic.