Bird flu returns: Is it airborne now?
Bird flu (avian influenza) is a well-known viral disease that primarily affects birds. With the COVID-19 pandemic receding, it's important not to ignore the potential risks of bird flu. However, it has sometimes spread to other animals and humans.
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The worrying strain of this flu, called the H5N1 strain, has been infecting birds and some mammals many times. H5N1 frequently comes in headlines for its potential to transmit in humans. Experts see a risk of the virus mutating into an airborne form, which could then become communicable among humans. As a result, two European regulators raised concerns that it could turn into an outbreak or even a global pandemic, according to Reuters. Scientists are closely monitoring the virus to prevent this from happening.
Reasons for Bird Flu to Become Common
H5N1 and similar viruses are prone to frequent mutations, including the mixing of genetic material—a process virologist Wendy Barclay has described as «viral sex on steroids.» Barclay reported to The Guardian, these mutations could potentially enable the virus to evolve and become airborne, increasing the risk of human-to-human transmission.
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For example, If bird flu and human flu viruses mix, the new virus could spread easily among people. This mixing increases the chances of the bird flu becoming more common in people.
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