Bird Flu (H5N1) Explained: Study Finds First Known Case Of Mammal-To-Mammal Transnational Transmission

Forbes June 5, 2024
Arianna Johnson

Topline

Here’s the latest news about a global outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that started in 2020, and recently spread among cattle in U.S. states and marine mammals across the world, which has health officials closely monitoring it and experts concerned the virus could mutate and eventually spread to humans, where it has proven rare but deadly.

Timeline

Can Bird Flu Spread Between Humans?

Bird flu doesn’t “transmit easily from person-to-person,” according to the World Health Organization. Bird flu rarely affects humans, and most previous cases came from close contact with infected poultry, according to the CDC. Because human-to-human spread of bird flu poses “pandemic potential,” each human case is investigated to rule out this type of infection. Though none...

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