The US is facing a potential pandemic as bird flu spreads out of control on farms. The H5N1 outbreak has affected nearly 1,000 dairy cow herds and resulted in over 70 human cases, including the first confirmed death.
The US poultry industry is at significant risk, particularly in areas with high-density farming and where personal protective practices may be lacking. Since 2022, more than 168 million poultry in the US have been lost or culled due to the bird flu outbreak in America, which has caused the price of eggs to skyrocket.
Experts caution that mutations and reassortments, when two viruses simultaneously infect a host and exchange genetic material, could raise the risk of human-to-human transmission. The Global Virus Network (GVN) is now urging world governments to confront the threat of H5N1 avian influenza by strengthening surveillance efforts and enforcing stricter biosecurity protocols.
Minnesota is raising the alarm over three avian diseases, and Dr. Ab Osterhaus suggests that a potential vaccine could help solve the crisis. He calls for urgent efforts to understand and interrupt transmission in cattle through herd management and potential vaccination. Strengthening surveillance at animal-human interfaces is crucial, as current monitoring efforts are insufficient to guide effective prevention strategies.
The Biden Administration awarded Moderna a $590 million contract to develop a H5N1 bird flu vaccine, but there were reports earlier this year that the new administration could pull that funding. The White House Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response (OPPR), created after COVID-19 to coordinate rapid responses to outbreaks, has been left virtually unstaffed and unfunded since the Trump Administration came in.
Since March 2024, 70 confirmed bird flu infections have been reported in the US, but most illnesses have been mild and most have been detected among farmworkers directly exposed to sick poultry or dairy cows. Many experts put H5N1 at the top of their lists of pandemic threats due to its widespread presence among animals and rapid mutation.
