PARIS — More should be done to control the spread of bird flu among animals to avoid more cases in humans, the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) said on Wednesday (Jan 8), following the first death of a patient from the virus in the United States.

Avian influenza, commonly called bird flu, has spread across the world in recent years, ravaging flocks, pushing up food prices, and raising concerns about a new pandemic.

"This situation really highlights the importance of managing risk at the animal source, which is really essential to prevent the spread of bird flu and its possible transmission to humans," WOAH Director General Emmanuelle Soubeyran told Reuters.

Soubeyran called for more investment in monitoring the virus in wild birds and animals to control what she said was an unprecedented outbreak due to its global reach and the number of species infected, notably dairy cattle in the United States.

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