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H5N1 bird flu
Is this the start of a new pandemic? Major news of the spreading bird flu is coming out of the United States. The H5N1 bird flu, which is primarily found in birds, has spread among cows. A major cause of concern is hovering in the minds of authorities who are worried about the farmers working in the poultry industry. Respected authorities have advised people not to drink raw milk. On genome analysis, it was found that the outbreak likely began in December 2023 or early January, with the first case of the strain jumping from wild birds reported on March 25, 2024.
A major cause of concern is the potential for viruses to become a global pandemic. It has infected 34 herds in nine US states. There are instances where the virus is reported to jump from cows to birds and cats, which indicates the virus has the capability of multi-hosting.
Scientists are still figuring out how the virus can jump from infected cows to birds and cats. The lack of data availability is a major hindrance to tackling the problem.