Written question WQ93685
- Asked by
- Janet Finch-SaundersConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 6 days
Question
What steps is the Cabinet Secretary taking to liaise with the UK Government regarding the H5N1 influenza and its recent infection of humans?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
H5N1 avian influenza is primarily a disease of birds and the risk overall to UK biosecurity and public health remains low.
However, we continue to closely monitor the situation and Welsh Government officials meet regularly with their UK Government counterparts, to share the latest information from experts across human and animal health. With the other nations of the UK, we continue to work through precautionary preparedness plans. This includes consideration of clinical countermeasures, PPE, testing and guidance on managing cases and contacts.
Furthermore, Public Health Wales (PHW) works closely with the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and other agencies and global organisations to assess the latest available information and the risks posed by H5N1, maintaining an up to date dynamic risk assessment. This includes a current watching brief on information and data from the United States of America where H5N1 has been detected in cattle and a small number of dairy and poultry workers.