“’Knocking On Our Door’: Experts Warn Of Bird Flu’s Pandemic Threat”
By Daniel Lawler
“Health experts have been sounding the alarm about the potential pandemic threat posed by bird flu, which has been showing signs of mutating as it spreads among cows and infects people in the United States.”
“Meg Schaeffer, an epidemiologist at the US-based SAS Institute, told AFP there were now several factors suggesting that “avian flu is knocking on our door and could start a new pandemic any day”.
“A bird flu pandemic would be one of the most foreseeable catastrophes in history,” read the headline of a New York Times opinion article late last month.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.barrons.com/news/knocking-on-our-door-experts-warn-of-bird-flu-s-pandemic-threat-5e78fe02
“A Single Mutation Could Bring Bird Flu a Critical Step Closer to a New Pandemic”
By David Nield
“The virus has a fatality rate of 50 percent in humans, so animal infections need to be carefully monitored and tightly controlled to stop the spreading strain of H5N1 adapting into something that one person can give directly to another.
While several of these morphing mutations are usually needed to put humans in danger from avian influenza, this time the transformation process could be quicker, scientists from the Scripps Research Institute in California found.
“The findings demonstrate how easily this virus could evolve to recognize human-type receptors,” says infectious disease scientist Ting-Hui Lin, first author of the new study.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-single-mutation-could-bring-bird-flu-a-critical-step-closer-to-a-new-pandemic
“California Child May Have Bird Flu After Drinking Raw Milk”
by Nicole Lou
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“A possible case of H5N1 bird flu virus in a California child has been linked to raw milk consumption and is under investigation by state health officials and the CDC.
The patient experienced fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk and has since recovered, according to an announcement by Marin County Public Healthopens in a new tab or window. Officials said that the risk to the public remains low, as there was no evidence of person-to person transmission between the child and her family members.”
“The case stands out for being outside the usual farm work setting.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/publichealth/113341#:~:text=In%20California%2C%20officials%20recently%20quarantined,contain%20dangerous%20bacteria%20and%20viruses
“China reports two more H9N2 avian flu cases”
By Lisa Schnirring
“China has reported two more human H9N2 avian flu cases, which involve children in two different provinces, Hong Kong’s Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said today in its weekly avian flu update.”
“H9N2 is known to circulate in poultry in the region, where sporadic infections are reported, especially in children, who typically experience mild disease following exposure to poultry. The new cases raise China’s H9N2 total for the year to 15 cases.”
https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/avian-influenza-bird-flu/china-reports-two-more-h9n2-avian-flu-cases