Bird flu pandemic risk high as cow cases appear and officials warn of humans’ role

A pelican suspected to have died from H5N1 avian influenza on a beach in Lima, Peru, on 1 December 2022. Photograph: Ernesto Benavides/AFP/Getty Images

Bird flu cases among animals continue to rise as US officials warn about the role of humans in spreading the virus.

There are now 102 herds in the US with H5N1 cases, though given the prevalence of inactivated virus in commercially available pasteurized milk, experts believe the true number may be even higher.