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3w ago

H5N1 Bird Flu Prompts California Emergency as Experts Warn of Pandemic Potential

The virus has infected over 1,000 dairy herds in the U.S., caused at least 70 human cases, and spurred calls for global surveillance and biosecurity measures.

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The threat of bird flu has not gone away, virologists are warning.
H5N1 scare increasing again in 2025?
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Overview

  • California has declared a state of emergency due to the spread of H5N1 avian influenza in its dairy herds, with over 1,000 herds affected nationwide.
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 70 human infections in the U.S., including one fatality, but states that the current public health risk remains low.
  • Experts from the Global Virus Network emphasize the need for enhanced surveillance, rapid vaccine development, and strengthened biosecurity to address the virus's potential to mutate and spread among humans.
  • The virus has led to the culling of more than 168 million poultry animals in the U.S. since 2022, and its presence has now been confirmed in all 50 states and Canada.
  • While no human-to-human transmission has been documented, virologists warn that mutations could increase transmissibility, underscoring the importance of proactive global preparedness.