The dangerous and contagious bird flu is still spreading through flocks of poultry, wild birds, and now mammals. Experts are keeping a close eye on the outbreak, but there is still no evidence that the virus can spread between humans.
During a press conference, World Health Organization director general Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "The recent spillover to mammals needs to be closely monitored." The WHO currently rates the risk to humans as low."
What is causing this outbreak of bird flu?
The H5N1 bird flu virus, which was first discovered in China in 1996, is the cause of this particular outbreak. A new variant of that virus appeared in 2021 and began to spread worldwide. In February 2022, the virus began to infect chickens on poultry farms in the United States.
What makes this outbreak unique?
According to Nichola Hill, a virologist at the University of Massachusetts Boston, this outbreak is unprecedented in size, range, and number of species affected.
This is the deadliest bird flu outbreak in American history, affecting nearly 60 million poultry. The virus affects wild birds in each of the 50 states. According to Hill, it has never really been seen in this many different wild species before. Mammals are also being infected: The virus is spreading to skunks, bears, seals, foxes, dolphins, and other animals. She asserts, "That is not really how bird flu should behave."
MORE: The fact that the bird flu outbreak has spread to 27 states is particularly alarming because it appears to have spread between minks rather than just between birds. This kind of spread from one mammal to another is novel. Hill says, "We hadn't seen that before."
Is there a danger to humans?
Although transmission from one mammal to another is concerning, it does not necessarily imply that the virus will have a significant impact on human populations.
Bird flu can cause illness, but cases are still uncommon. They typically affect people who frequently interact with birds. During the current outbreak, one person in the United States has been infected with the virus and was responsible for culling infected poultry.
Although the virus may be evolving to infect more mammals, it has not yet mutated to make it easier to infect humans.
Hill asserts that "it still isn't hitting on that magic combination of mutations that is necessary to unlock efficient human transmission."
But it's still important to keep an eye on H5N1 and try to stop it from spreading to other animal species because every time it adapts to a new host, mutations may occur. Every time, we're throwing the dice," she says.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, people should stay away from wild birds and wear gloves and masks when working with poultry.
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