Rising Concerns Over H5N1 Bird Flu's Spread and Human Infections

The H5N1 virus is spreading among birds, cattle, and humans, raising fears of potential mutations and broader transmission risks.

H5N1 bird flu has been detected in wild birds, poultry, cattle, and some humans, with 55 confirmed human cases in the U.S. since April 2024, mostly linked to farm exposure.
The virus has been found in 20% of pasteurized milk samples from 17 U.S. states, though pasteurization appears to render the virus non-infectious; raw milk remains a concern.
A teenager in Canada is hospitalized with severe illness from H5N1, highlighting the virus’s potential to cause serious disease in rare cases.
Experts warn that every human infection increases the risk of the virus mutating into a form capable of human-to-human transmission, though no such spread has been confirmed so far.
Calls are growing for increased surveillance, vaccination of farmworkers, and improved containment measures to prevent further spread and potential pandemic risks.