Bird Flu: Get Your Shoes Ready
Lurking in plain sight, the next pandemic could be in the making
It’s been more than three months since the emergence of bird flu in dairy cattle, the so-called ‘cow flu,’ and concerns are growing that it’s here to stay.
As of July 16, 2024, the highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in at least 161 cattle herds, and 9 reported human cases across at least a dozen US states, including the latest four new cases of poultry workers from Colorado. Researchers believe many more cases in cows and humans have likely gone undetected.
Nicole Lurie, who heads preparedness and response at the Oslo-based Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), says the coalition’s approach “for the moment is one of ‘calm urgency’ — like putting our shoes on in case we need to start running.”
The truth is no one really knows how far bird flu has spread, and the chance of stopping this outbreak is getting narrower by the day. And I wish I wasn’t writing this, but prevention is better than cure: get your shoes ready.
With Influenza, You Never Know
Most H5N1 bird flu outbreaks in the last thirty years started from handling or ingesting infected raw meat. We know for a fact that carnivorous mammals…
