Bird flu experts are sounding the alarm, cautioning that a potential new pandemic could be significantly more severe than Covid.
The United States is currently witnessing a surge in bird flu cases, leading to concerns about a possible new global health crisis.
The strain responsible for the outbreak, H5N1, is dangerously close to triggering another worldwide health emergency. President Joe Biden has taken action following a report that an American patient became the first to contract bird flu from a mammal.
The White House has confirmed that they are closely monitoring the situation.
The affected individual was treated with antiviral medicine and experienced only inflammation of the eyes as symptoms. However, the growing threat of bird flu as it spreads to new areas has experts on edge.
Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, an expert on bird flu, has expressed concerns that H5N1 is nearing pandemic status as it spreads among cows, cats, and now humans.
This troubling strain has the potential to mutate and start spreading between humans, posing a significant risk of a pandemic.
Pharma consultant John Fulton has claimed that the H5N1 strain appears to be 100 times worse than Covid, warning that if it mutates and maintains its high fatality rate, it could lead to another global pandemic, four years after the emergence of Covid.
In a recent development, the largest egg producer in the US had to close its Texas farm due to an outbreak of avian influenza among its chickens.
Additionally, the virus has been spreading among cattle populations in Texas, Michigan, and Kansas.
The first recorded instance of human transmission of bird flu from a mammal also occurred in Texas, likely contracted through physical contact with sick cows.
Since 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) has been monitoring the threat posed by the H5N1 bird flu, reporting a fatality rate of approximately 52% among those infected. From 2020 onwards, nearly 30% of humans diagnosed with the virus have died.
Meanwhile, the threat from Covid-19 appears to be diminishing. The CDC reports that the mortality rate due to Covid in the US has decreased by 47% between 2021 and 2023.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre addressed the avian influenza during a press briefing, stating that they are closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with relevant agencies and officials.