Scientists have expressed concern regarding the recent occurrence of avian influenza in the United States. As stated in a report published by the Daily Mail, a British tabloid, specialists have emphasized that the bird flu outbreak is significantly more severe than the Covid-19 pandemic, potentially resulting in a substantial number of fatalities.
Scientists quoted in the paper have expressed concerns about the potential emergence of a new pandemic in relation to the H5N1 strain of bird flu. These experts believe that the virus is approaching a critical threshold, known as a tipping point, where it could initiate a global pandemic.
Based on information provided by the World Health Organization (WHO), the H5N1 virus has exhibited a fatality rate exceeding 50% since 2003, with 52 out of every 100 individuals infected succumbing to the virus. In stark contrast, the current fatality rate for Covid-19 stands at 0.1%, which is considerably lower than its initial rate of 20% during the early stages of the pandemic. WHO data reveals that out of the 887 reported cases of avian influenza, a total of 462 deaths have been documented.
A Texas dairy worker who became infected with the virus experienced symptoms that aligned with conjunctivitis. Despite the CDC’s reassurance of minimal risk, the situation is under close surveillance due to the unprecedented identification of the virus in cattle.
The discovery of the virus in cattle has prompted fears about mutation and the potential for transmission to humans. Experts caution that if H5N1 mutates to efficiently spread among humans, it could result in widespread transmission due to the lack of immune defenses.
