The European Food Safety Authority has warned that bird flu could morph into a human pandemic.

The Irish government instructed farmers to keep poultry and other birds inside last month after a case of bird flu was found in a buzzard in County Galway.

The department for agriculture said it was taking “precautionary measures to reduce the risk of transmission of avian influenza to poultry in Ireland.”

There have been more than 250 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) since last October. Most cases were in central and eastern Europe.

Cases in humans remain rare. Earlier this week, the UK said one person had contracted the virus following “close and prolonged contact with a large number of infected birds”.

However, there is “no demonstrated human-to-human transmission” of bird flu, according the the UK’s Health Security Agency.

But a new report by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) and the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says there is a risk of that happening in future.

“Avian influenza viruses pose an increasing threat, with the potential to adapt to humans and trigger future pandemics”, the EU agencies warn.

“Global developments demand that we stay alert and make sure Europe is prepared to respond to the threat of avian influenza,” said ECDC’s director, Pamela Rendi-Wagner.

In 2024, avian influenza spread into “previously unaffected species.”

Experts have now identified 34 genetic mutations of bird flu that “might increase the potential of avian influenza viruses to spread to humans.”

The EU agencies recommend further studies to ensure early detection of new strains of the virus as well as monitoring people who are in close contact with birds.

Prevention can be aided by “robust farm biosecurity measures” including training staff, vaccinating poultry and preparing how to react in case of an outbreak.

The EU agencies said they have developed guidance on how to “investigate and control outbreaks of avian influenza affecting both humans and animals” in case the risk of a pandemic develops.