The risk to the general population from H5N1 bird flu remains low, a World Health Organisation spokeswoman has said following the first death of a patient from the virus in the United States.
The patient, who was over 65 and had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalised with the virus in December after exposure to a combination of backyard chickens and wild birds, Louisiana health officials said.
"We are concerned, of course but we look at the risk to the general population and ... it still remains low," WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told reporters at a Geneva press briefing in response to questions about the risks of the virus.
Asked whether US monitoring of the virus was sufficient, she said: "They are doing a lot of surveillance. That's why we're hearing about it."
About 70 people in the US have contracted bird flu since April, most of them farm workers, as the virus has circulated among poultry flocks and dairy herds, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Like the WHO, US federal and state officials have said the risk to the general public remains low.
The US fatality follows several recorded deaths from H5N1 worldwide.
The virus is currently widespread in wild birds around the world and numerous wild mammals have also been infected.
It also recently led to outbreaks on poultry farms and dairy farms in the US.
with DPA
