H5N1 Bird Flu Cases In The US Increase Pandemic Concerns

Community activities during the COVID 19 (ANTARA) pandemic

JAKARTA A serious case of H5N1 bird flu in a patient in Louisiana has sparked new concerns about the potential for a pandemic in the United States (US). This is the first human case with severe symptoms in the US in 2024.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that patients are exposed to sick poultry on backyard farms. Until now, there has been no further information regarding the patient's current condition.

For more than 20 years, H5 infections have been associated with a death rate of up to 50%, said Demetre Daskalawas, a senior CDC official. The CDC confirmed the case on December 13, 2024, with genetics showing the H5N1 virus including genotype D1.1, which was previously found in wild birds, poultry, and human cases in Washington and British Columbia, Canada.

Since early 2024, there have been 61 cases of bird flu in the US, mostly with mild symptoms. However, severe cases in Louisiana and similar cases in Canada in a teenager increased vigilance.

Scientists warn of the potential adaptation of cross-species viruses. In fact, raw milk is referred to as a possible transmission vector. As an anticipatory measure, the US Department of Agriculture requires testing of raw milk to detect the presence of bird flu viruses.

President-elect Donald Trump's choice for health minister, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., raises a question mark. Kennedy is known to be skeptical of vaccines and supports raw milk consumption, which could affect the direction of public health policy in dealing with the threat of bird flu.

Although there is no strong evidence of human transmission, epidemiologists, including Meg Schaeffer of the SAS Institute, warn that bird flu has the potential to trigger a new pandemic at any time.