Health Experts Warn US of Rising H5N1 Threat Amid Nationwide Spread

The H5N1 avian influenza virus has rapidly spread across all 50 US states and Canada, affecting nearly 1,000 dairy cow herds, causing over 70 human infections, and resulting in the first confirmed US death. The Global Virus Network (GVN), a coalition of leading virologists, has issued an urgent call for governments to enhance surveillance, implement stronger biosecurity measures, and prepare for the possibility of human-to-human transmission. Experts warn that the virus's ability to infect both animals and humans, combined with recent genetic mutations, increases the risk of a pandemic. The US poultry industry is especially vulnerable, with over 168 million poultry lost or culled since 2022 due to the outbreak. While the CDC currently assesses the risk to the general public as low, authorities emphasize the importance of proactive containment and genomic surveillance to track viral evolution. International cooperation and immediate sharing of data are deemed critical for effective prevention and response.