Leading virologists from over 40 countries are sounding the alarm over the increasing threat of H5N1 avian flu—which can cause coughing, body aches, fatigue, pneumonia, and other symptoms in humans—urging global leaders to step up with a range of measures and to use knowledge gained during the COVID pandemic.
“In the U.S. sporadic human infections with no known contact with infected animals highlight the possibility of viral adaptation for efficient human-to-human transmission,” Global Virus Network (GVN) scientists write in a commentary published this week in The Lancet Regional Health–Americas. “Concurrently, the virus continues to circulate in wild birds, backyard flocks, and hunted migratory species, further amplifying the risk to humans and domestic animals.”
