H5N1 Bird Flu Scientists Warn of Potential Human Transmission Risk
The H5N1 bird flu virus, a highly deadly strain responsible for devastating animal populations, is raising alarms in the United States as scientists closely monitor its spread and mutation patterns. New research indicates that the virus may require only one genetic mutation to become capable of human-to-human transmission, prompting heightened vigilance among public health experts.
H5N1 is notorious for its lethality, with a fatality rate of 50% among infected humans. So far, human cases have been rare, typically linked to direct contact with infected birds, contaminated environments, or other animals such as poultry and dairy cows. However, the findings published in Science on December 5, 2024, by researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in California, suggest that the virus could...
