Fears about a fresh pandemic has now risen as the H5N1 virus is reportedly spreading across all 50 states.
All 50 American states are reportedly
facing an outbreak of the H5N1 bird flu virus
this 2025, with dairy farms being one of the majorly affected entities. The
H5N1 virus is already leading
to human infections, and experts are warning about the possibility of a fresh pandemic in the
United States.
Although bird flu has been present on
Earth for decades, this new kind of pathogen, H5N1, is one of the most fatal
ones, and can take human lives. Only in 2024, the H5N1 virus spread through
America's dairy herds, poultry flocks, and also infected humans.
In light of the possibility of
outbreaks, the Global Virus Network has issued a comprehensive analysis and a
call-to-action report on the deadly H5N1 virus. The GVN represents a massive
community of human and animal virologists from across the world and has called
on world governments to take the H5N1 spread seriously.
What is the H5N1 about?
The H5N1 avian influenza virus,
primarily infecting birds, has raised alarm with human cases for the last few
years. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, and severe respiratory
distress. Fatality rates havehit 52% in humans since 2003, per WHO data.
Most
human cases involve direct animal contact. The CDC warns against raw milk
consumption amid dairy cow infections. Antivirals like Tamiflu may reduce
severity if taken early. While no human-to-human transmission is confirmed,
experts urge vigilance. Vaccines exist but remain limited. Health agencies
across the world regularly monitor mutations that could ease spread.
GVN scientists lay down concerns
The GVN report suggests that as many
as 1000 dairy cow herds have been affected by the H5N1 outbreak, leading to 70
human case, with the loss of one life over time. GVN scientists were quoted as
saying in the report, "In the US, sporadic human infections with no known
contact with infected animals highlight the possibility of viral adaptation for
efficient human-to-human transmission."
“Concurrently, the virus continues to
circulate in wild birds, backyard flocks, and hunted migratory species, further
amplifying the risk to humans and domestic animals,” they continued.
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