Alarming Warning on the Threat of a New Pandemic — What You Need to Know

As avian influenza (bird flu) continues to spread among wild birds in the European Union, officials are warning of the potential for a future human pandemic.

On Wednesday, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued an alert noting that “transmission between bird and mammal species has been observed, particularly in fur animal farms, where outbreaks have been reported.”

Although it is rare for infected birds to pass along the virus to humans, the agency warned that new strains could pose a danger in the future.

“These viruses continue to evolve globally, and with the migration of wild birds, new strains carrying potential mutations for mammalian adaptation could be selected,” the alert stated.

“If avian A (H5N1) influenza viruses acquire the ability to spread efficiently among humans, large‐scale transmission could occur due to the lack of immune defenses against H5 viruses in humans.” (Read more from “Alarming Warning on the Threat of a New Pandemic — What You Need to Know” HERE)

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