EU launches 'pre-pandemic' plan to stop bird flu jumping to humans

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) has issued a detailed preparedness framework to EU health ministers, outlining coordinated actions to prevent H5N1 avian influenza from sparking a human pandemic.

The plan establishes 14 escalation scenarios, from isolated animal-to-human infections (already seen in Britain and the US) to sustained human-to-human clusters with no animal link. Recommended measures include 14-day quarantine for infected individuals, dedicated isolation centres for mild cases, negative-pressure airborne isolation rooms for severe cases, expanded contact tracing, and rigorous PPE and social distancing in healthcare settings.