Bird flu is a real pandemic threat. Are we prepared for the worst? | Devi Sridhar

A strain now circulating in dairy cows appears to carry little risk for humans at present, but we need to develop an effective strategy before it mutates

As usual, I’m back with cheery topics to get us through the dark, cold winter months. No, I’m not talking about the studies on how dark chocolate reduces your risk of type 2 diabetes or why eating cake for breakfast isn’t as bad as we think it is. Instead, in the global health world, the main news is about avian flu, the H5N1 virus, and also the deadly outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo of a mystery illness. It’s in these moments that I wonder why I didn’t choose a career in baking.

But trying to replicate a Mary Berry recipe would require eggs – and the United States is facing a shortage of eggs – like Britain did last year – with the main culprit being avian flu, which has either killed off or triggered the culling of hundreds of thousands of chickens. Avian flu has caused concerns recently given several step-changes in the seriousness of the potential threat: becoming endemic in wild bird populations; then its spread among domestic birds, causing a turkey lockdown in winter 2022; then reports from across the world about infections in mammals such as sea lions that feed on or live near wild birds. In the past year, a big shift has been the confirmation of mammal-to-mammal transmission among dairy cows in the US.

Prof Devi Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh

Topics

Mega-Farms Are Driving the Threat of Bird Flu

In the West, where herds of thousands of cattle are common, researchers are seeing cases rise at poultry and dairy operations. More than 50 workers have contracted the virus.
Wired - 2d
Patient hospitalized with possible bird flu infection in Louisiana

A person in Louisiana is hospitalized with what may be the state’s first case of bird flu, state health officials said Friday.
NBC News - 2d
For Wild Animals, the Bird Flu Disaster Is Already Here

Scientists are concerned that the H5N1 virus could set off another human pandemic. But it is already putting species under pressure in the wild.
The New York Times - 3d
Could Cats Become a Vector for Bird Flu?

A new study highlights the need for public health officials to ramp up bird flu surveillance in our feline companions.
The New York Times - 4d
USDA Will Begin Mandatory Milk Testing for Bird Flu

Bird flu has been seen in more than 500 dairy herds in California and 700 across the country.
Inc. - Dec. 8
USDA orders testing of milk for bird flu

The national milk supply must be tested for bird flu under a federal order announced Friday by the U.S.
NBC News - Dec. 6
What is the real toll of natural and climate disasters? Science has staggering new answers | Devi Sridhar

New research challenges us to look beyond the event to the devastating long-term impacts. Governments must take note. The devastation of hurricanes, earthquakes, tsunamis or tornadoes is often ...
The Guardian - Dec. 6
How the Messy Process of Milking Cows Can Spread Bird Flu

On America’s large dairy farms, milking is a vast operation, and the potential for disease transmission is worrying, health experts say.
The New York Times - Dec. 5
Bird Flu, Explained

We explore whether you should be worried.
The New York Times - Dec. 4