Send us a text

The first human death from bird flu (H5N1) has been reported in the U.S., a patient over 65 with pre-existing conditions who contracted the virus after exposure to both domestic and wild birds. While over 65 people in the U.S. have contracted H5N1 during the current outbreak, most cases have been mild. This death and a severe case in Canada highlight the virus's unpredictable severity and potential for serious illness, even though the CDC maintains the risk to the general public remains low. Genetic sequencing suggests the virus in these severe cases is related to strains circulating in wild birds and U.S. dairy herds. The recent outbreak in dairy cattle has raised concerns due to the increased chance of human infection.

Support the show