Overview

• The H5N1 bird flu outbreak, first detected in U.S. dairy cows in March 2024, has now spread across 17 states, impacting wild birds, poultry, and cattle.
• Over 170 million poultry have been culled, and nearly 1,000 cattle herds have been affected, causing significant economic disruptions including egg shortages and price hikes.
• Seventy human infections have been reported, with the first U.S. death occurring in Louisiana earlier this year; human-to-human transmission has not been confirmed.
• A new virus variant, D1.1, has been identified in cow milk in Nevada, raising concerns about mutations and containment challenges.
• Experts criticize insufficient monitoring and lack of a unified response, warning of the potential for the outbreak to escalate into a pandemic.