Is bird flu next big pandemic threat? Experts express concerns

Experts have issued a warning about a potential bird flu pandemic, which they claim could be "100 times worse than COVID," according to the New York Post. The concern has arisen following the discovery of a rare human case in Texas. The H5N1 avian flu, which has a new strain detected in 2020, has been spreading swiftly, affecting wild birds across all states, as well as commercial poultry and backyard flocks.

Experts warn of bird flu pandemic danger

According to a report from the UK-based News Paper Daily Mail, experts have sounded the alarm about the possibility of a bird flu pandemic, suggesting it could be "100 times worse than Covid" and might "kill up to half of everyone it infects."

During a recent briefing focused on the H5N1 strain of bird flu, researchers expressed concerns that the virus might be nearing a critical point that could trigger a global pandemic. Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a prominent bird flu researcher in Pittsburgh, warned during the briefing that H5N1 has the potential to cause a pandemic. He highlighted its ability to infect various mammalian hosts, including humans, and cautioned, "We are getting dangerously close to this virus potentially causing a pandemic."

Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a researcher specializing in bird flu, cautioned that H5N1 has the potential to trigger a pandemic because it can infect various mammalian hosts, including humans.

"We are getting dangerously close to this virus potentially causing a pandemic," he said.

"We are not really talking about a virus that is yet to make a jump, we are talking about a virus that is globally present, already infecting a range of mammals and is circulating… It is really high time that we are prepared," he added.

John Fulton, a pharmaceutical industry consultant, said: "This appears to be 100 times worse than Covid, or it could be if it mutates and maintains its high case fatality rate. Once it’s mutated to infect humans, we can only hope that the [fatality rate] drops."

Is bird flu a concern?

The recent case in Texas marks only the second time bird flu has been confirmed in a human in the United States, the first being in Colorado in 2022, where the person had been exposed to infected poultry. Fortunately, both cases resulted in mild infections.

The Texas farm worker who contracted bird flu showed only one symptom: conjunctivitis, commonly known as pink eye. He is currently undergoing treatment with Tamiflu, a medication used to treat human influenza.

These infections are attributed to the same subtype of bird flu that has been affecting wild birds and poultry flocks worldwide for over two years. Additionally, the virus has been responsible for the deaths of several mammal species, likely due to their consumption of sick or deceased birds.

What are the risks associated with bird flu?

While some outbreaks of avian influenza have led to severe or fatal infections among individuals in close contact with wild birds or poultry, currently, H5N1 does not spread easily among humans. However, scientists remain vigilant for any changes that could enhance human transmission and potentially trigger a pandemic.

Dr. Thomas Inglesby, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, noted that the Texas case "doesn't alter the overall risk of a significant pandemic," emphasizing the importance of investigating any new cases to prevent potential person-to-person transmission.

An official from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stated that for most individuals not exposed to infected animals, the risk is minimal.

Is there a bird flu vaccine for humans?

The US has a stockpile of bird flu vaccines matched with the circulating strain, along with antiviral medications for human infections, stated Dr. Inglesby. However, he emphasized the need for significant scaling up if a major epidemic or pandemic were to occur.

According to the US Department of Agriculture, the risk of contaminated milk reaching consumers is not a concern because pasteurization kills viruses, and milk from sick cows is not sold. However, the CDC advises against consuming raw milk or cheese due to the potential presence of various pathogens.

Virologist Richard Webby from St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, mentioned that it's still unclear how the cows became infected, the extent of the infection, or how the virus spread to other herds. Nonetheless, he noted there's "reasonable evidence" suggesting some transmission between cows.