Understanding H5N1 Bird Flu: A Potential Global Threat
The H5N1 is a subtype of avian influenza A, belonging to a group of related bird flu viruses. It is highly pathogenic, capable of causing severe and often fatal illness in poultry.
Warnings of a Potential Pandemic
Experts have raised concerns about the potential of a H5N1 bird flu pandemic, suggesting it could be ‘100 times worse than Covid’, with a mortality rate of up to half of those infected.
- Researchers highlighted during a recent briefing the alarming characteristics of the H5N1 strain, indicating it may be approaching a critical threshold that could trigger a global epidemic.
- Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a bird flu researcher, emphasized the virus’s ability to infect a variety of mammalian hosts, including humans, posing a serious pandemic threat.
- John Fulton, a pharmaceutical industry consultant, expressed concerns over the potential severity of H5N1, stating it could be significantly more devastating than Covid if it mutates and maintains a high case fatality rate.
Global Impact and Mortality Statistics
Since 2003, over 50 out of 100 people diagnosed with H5N1 bird flu have succumbed to the virus, resulting in a total of 462 deaths out of 887 reported cases, as per the World Health Organization.
Transmission and Effects
While primarily affecting birds, H5N1 can also infect wild birds and occasionally mammals, including humans. In non-bird species, the disease can be fatal, although some infected individuals may exhibit mild symptoms or remain asymptomatic.
