
Experts have sounded the alarm about the potential danger posed by a bird flu pandemic, cautioning that it could surpass Covid-19 in severity, with fatalities potentially reaching half of those infected. The concerns arose during a recent briefing focused on the H5N1 strain of bird flu, where researchers warned of the looming threat of a global pandemic. Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a prominent bird flu researcher based in Pittsburgh, emphasized the virus’s ability to infect various mammalian hosts, including humans, and warned that it could trigger a pandemic. He stressed the urgency of preparedness, stating that the virus is already circulating globally and infecting mammals.
John Fulton, a pharmaceutical industry consultant, echoed these concerns, suggesting that a potential H5N1 pandemic could be significantly more deadly than Covid-19, potentially by a factor of 100. He highlighted the high case fatality rate of H5N1 and expressed hope that it would decrease if the virus mutated to infect humans.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the fatality rate for H5N1 bird flu stands at 52 out of every 100 cases since 2003, significantly higher than Covid-19’s current fatality rate. Recent outbreaks in the US, including cases among dairy cows and the first documented instance of human infection from a mammal, have heightened concerns. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed an H5N1 infection in a dairy farm worker in Texas, marking the first known case of bird flu transmission from dairy cattle. The virus has rapidly spread among dairy herds in multiple states, raising concerns despite reassurances from health officials about the low risk to the public.
H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza A, known for its severe and often fatal illness in poultry. While primarily affecting birds, H5N1 can also infect wild birds and occasionally mammals, including humans. The virus was first detected in birds in China in 1996, with subsequent outbreaks raising concerns about its potential to cause widespread harm.