Current avian flu strain deadlier than in past and could become endemic, study says

Wild birds, including bald eagles, have been stricken by a more lethal strain of avian influenza. Photograph: Jason Whitman/NurPhoto/Rex/Shutterstock

The current strain of the avian influenza, which has been decimating bird populations globally, is perilously different than previous disease outbreaks, according to US researchers who are calling for urgent action.

A new study led by a team from the University of Maryland found that the current strain of the disease that is killing millions of birds is “different” from previous decades, with birds dying in unprecedented numbers.