Bird flu, specifically the H5N1 strain, is raising global health concerns due to its potential to mutate and pose a serious threat to humans. While current human infections remain low-risk and largely mild, experts warn of the importance of preparation to avoid a future pandemic. The virus, which has devastated bird populations and affected mammals like sea lions and dairy cows, could mutate to spread human-to-human, a scenario health authorities are closely monitoring.
The H5N1 strain has increasingly been found in mammals, with confirmed mammal-to-mammal transmission among dairy cows in the U.S. Though the strain is currently unable to spread human-to-human, a single mutation could enable this, making it a top pandemic threat. Reports highlight mild symptoms in recent human infections in the U.S., contrasting with severe cases in other regions, such as Canada, where a teenager remains hospitalized due to H5N1 pneumonia.
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Though a generic H5N1 vaccine exists, it may not match the current strain, and its reliance on chicken eggs for development makes production vulnerable to disruptions in poultry supply.
With vaccine production taking an estimated six months, preemptive measures are critical. The U.K. has already stockpiled 5 million doses, while the U.S. plans to wait for a strain-specific version.
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