Category: Avian Influenza
What to Know About Bird Flu and Fears of a New Pandemic
Bloomberg For influenza viruses, imperfection is a strength. They constantly mutate, producing new strains that challenge immune systems primed to fight earlier varieties. That’s what makes flu a life-long threat to humans and the animal species — mainly birds — that are vulnerable to it. Since 2020, a strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza called […]
Jul 24, 2024
Scientists Show How Bird Flu Spreads Between Mammals — As H5N1 Pandemic Fears Grow
Forbes Scientists have proven how cows have spread H5N1 bird flu across the country and infected other cows, wild birds and even mammals like cats and raccoons, according to research published in Nature Wednesday, findings that suggest it may be capable of spreading effectively between people in the future as outbreaks on poultry and dairy farms spark […]
Jul 24, 2024
Bird flu that infected 6 Colorado poultry workers is closely related to the virus in cows
Public health experts are closely watching Colorado after five workers at an H5N1-infected egg farm tested positive. The virus infecting these workers is related to a strain found in cattle.
Jul 23, 2024
CDC reveals new data on bird flu in Michigan farmworkers as US case count ticks up
The H5N1 avian flu virus that infected poultry workers in Colorado and Michigan shows similarities, but CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen reassures that human-to-human transmission hasn’t occurred and current population risk is low.
Jul 23, 2024
Cows, dairy workers, and America’s struggle to track bird flu
BBC For the past 12 years, Freddy Morales has spent most of his time in close proximity to America’s dairy cows, working on several of the country’s thousands of dairy farms. Despite having a job that requires coming into close contact with the animals and regularly sticking medicine down their throats, Mr Morales had not […]
Jul 23, 2024
There Are No Good Options Left With Bird Flu
The Atlantic reports a significant bird flu outbreak in the U.S. Six people on a Colorado chicken farm have tested positive for H5N1, highlighting the virus’s widespread impact on animals and potential pandemic risk.
Jul 23, 2024
Are Doctors Missing Cases of H5N1 Bird Flu in People Who Drink Raw Milk?
MedPageToday Raw milk from cows infected with the H5N1 bird flu has been shown to contain very high levels of the virus, making it quite risky for people to consume. With FDA data showing some 4.4% of Americans drank raw milk at least once a year, and 1% drank it once a week or more, millions of Americans may […]
Jul 23, 2024
Six Colorado workers contracted bird flu, the most human cases in a state
Washington Post Excessive heat made it hard for poultry workers to wear goggles and masks while culling chickens on a farm with an H5N1 outbreak. Bird flu has infected six farmworkers in Colorado this month — the most in any state — as health officials stressed the importance of preparedness to contain the H5N1 virus spreading in […]
Jul 17, 2024
How nations are preparing for a possible H5N1 bird flu pandemic
Nature Bird flu could become a human pandemic. How are countries preparing? As cases of avian influenza continue to rise in cattle in the United States, countries are preparing for the possibility that the virus could start spreading in people. Many nations are ramping up surveillance, as well as purchasing vaccines or developing new ones. […]
Jul 16, 2024
U.S. bird flu response builds on lessons learned from COVID
Harvard School of Public Health CDC Director Mandy Cohen explains how country is tackling the H5N1 outbreak July 16, 2024—Avian influenza, or bird flu, has been in the headlines for months now, percolating at a low level but sparking concerns about the risk of broader contagion. In the U.S., bird flu has infected dairy cows in […]
Jul 16, 2024