Bird Flu: The new pandemic?
According to a report by the UK-based tabloid Daily Mail, experts have expressed alarm over the potential for a rapid spread of the bird flu pandemic.
They warn that it could result in a significantly higher fatality rate, possibly surpassing that of the Covid-19 pandemic by a factor of 100.
During a recent briefing, researchers discussed the H5N1 strain of the virus, highlighting its proximity to a critical threshold and its potential to trigger a global pandemic.
‘100 times worse than Covid!’
Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a notable bird flu researcher based in Pittsburgh, emphasized during the briefing the pandemic potential of the H5N1 virus strain, citing its capability to infect various mammals, including humans.
“We are getting dangerously close to this virus potentially causing a pandemic,” he cautioned.
Dr. Kuchipudi stressed that the virus is not merely a theoretical threat but is already globally present, infecting a range of mammals and circulating widely.
He accentuated the urgency of preparedness in addressing this issue.
John Fulton, a consultant for a pharmaceutical company, underlined the severity of the potential H5N1 pandemic, stating that it could be significantly more deadly than the Covid-19 pandemic. “This appears to be 100 times worse than Covid, or it could be if it mutates and maintains its high case fatality rate,” Fulton remarked.
He expressed hope that if the virus mutates to infect humans, the fatality rate will decrease, but cautioned about the current risks posed by the H5N1 strain.
With 50% Fatality Rate, It Spreads
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the fatality rate for patients infected with the H5N1 virus since 2003 stands at over 50%, with 52 out of every 100 cases resulting in death.
In comparison, the current fatality rate for Covid-19 is 0.1%, a significant decrease from the initial 20% seen at the onset of the pandemic. 
WHO records indicate a total of 887 reported cases, resulting in 462 deaths. H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza A, characterized by its high pathogenicity, often causing severe and fatal illness in poultry.
While primarily affecting birds, H5N1 can also infect wild birds and occasionally mammals, including humans.
First Cases Detected
In non-bird species, the disease can be fatal, although some infected creatures may display mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic.
The Daily Mail report follows recent outbreaks of avian flu in a poultry facility in Michigan and an egg producer in Texas.
Additionally, reports have emerged of dairy cows contracting bird flu, along with the first documented case of a human contracting the virus from a mammal.
Concerns escalate as a second human case of Avian Flu, also known as bird flu, is confirmed in the US. Texas authorities report that an individual in the state contracted the flu through close contact with infected cows.
