Slideshow: Everything You Need to Know About the US Bird Flu Outbreak

From the first known human case in 2022 to the US government pledging nearly $200 million to stop the spread, the H5N1 virus, also known as the bird flu, has evolved into an alarming public health issue in the US. Although an outbreak from human-to-human transmission remains unlikely, representatives from the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) and the CDC recently provided an update detailing how the virus has adapted over the past few years and what the public should be aware of as the outbreak continues in US dairy cattle.

To stay up to date on the current bird flu outbreak in the US, be sure to check out the CDC’s website. The NFID’s recent presentation was also published on YouTube for those who want to learn more about the history of the virus up until now. Also be sure to check out our coverage on the bird flu outbreak:

• Bird Flu Infects Second Human as Outbreak Continues
• Government Dedicates Nearly $200 Million to Contain US Bird Flu Outbreak
• Bird Flu Samples Found in Dairy Products Across the US
• Bird Flu Virus Detected in US for First Time in 2 Years

References

1. Updates on avian influenza A(H5N1) (NFID Webinar). National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. June 18, 2024. Accessed June 20, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLz6RJLP13E

2. H5N1 bird flu: current situation. CDC. Accessed June 20, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2022/s0428-avian-flu.html

3. Molteni M. Early tests of H5N1 prevalence in milk suggest U.S. bird flu outbreak in cows is widespread. STAT News. April 25, 2024. Accessed April 26, 2024. https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/25/h5n1-bird-flu-cows-outbreak-likely-widespread/

4. Aleccia J, Stobbe M. US pledges money and other aid to help track and contain bird flu on dairy farms. AP News. May 10, 2024. Accessed May 13, 2024. https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-dairy-cattle-h5n1-milk-0b46e7a28a20fe825d7a324a976bac22