A positive bird flu test sparks renewed fears of a global outbreak.Credit : StanislavSukhin, Shutterstock
Health experts across the globe are raising the alarm over bird flu once again, warning that the virus is changing fast and edging closer to sparking a new pandemic.
It comes as the H5N1 strain continues to wreak havoc on farms in the United States, jumping from birds to cattle — and, worryingly, to people.
Nearly 1,000 dairy herds have been caught up in the outbreak so far, with more than 70 human cases recorded, including the first known fatality. Across the Atlantic, the UK has also seen seven human cases since 2021, and scientists are keeping a close watch after a Yorkshire farm reported the world’s first case of bird flu in sheep earlier this year.
The message from virus experts is clear: stay alert, understand the symptoms, and be prepared.
Bird flu mutation accelerates: Why experts are deeply concerned
It’s not just the number of cases that’s worrying scientists — it’s what’s happening inside them. A group of leading specialists from the Global Virus Network (GVN) recently warned that the virus is ‘trying very hard’ to make the leap to humans in a much bigger way.
Dr Marc Johnson, a virologist at the University of Missouri, put it bluntly on social media: bird flu is ‘getting a lot of opportunities’ to cause serious trouble.
In the United States, authorities declared a state of emergency in California after the virus was detected in hundreds of dairy herds. Genetic tests on the first fatal human case suggested the virus had mutated inside the patient, possibly making the illness far more aggressive.
The man, who was over 65 and already had underlying health issues, had been in close contact with sick and dead birds from a backyard flock. His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of what’s at stake if the virus gains ground.
Meanwhile, Canadian health officials are dealing with another troubling case — a teenager hospitalised and placed on a ventilator after catching bird flu, with no clear link to infected animals.
Bird flu symptoms: Early warning signs you shouldn’t ignore
If bird flu does start to spread more easily between people, early recognition will be crucial. The symptoms often look very similar to ordinary flu, which can make spotting it tricky.
Early signs include a cough, sore throat, runny nose, headaches, muscle aches, and feeling extremely tired. Some people also experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
However, in more serious cases, it can lead to pneumonia, dangerously high fevers above 37.7°C (100°F), and the need for urgent hospital care.
Public health experts stress that you can’t confirm bird flu based on symptoms alone — laboratory tests are needed. Doctors usually take swabs from the nose, throat or eyes, ideally within the first few days of illness, when the virus is easier to detect. In severe cases, samples from deep inside the lungs may also be needed.
If you’re unlucky enough to catch it but start to recover, it can sometimes become harder for tests to pick up the virus — so timing matters.
Bird flu pandemic threat: What experts are saying
The good news, for now, is that the overall risk to the general public remains low, according to British health experts. But that doesn’t mean we can afford to be complacent.
Professor Paul Hunter, an infectious diseases specialist from the University of East Anglia, says the main concern is whether the virus will evolve further. If it does, and starts spreading easily from person to person, we could find ourselves staring down the barrel of another global health crisis.
Bird flu pandemic risk: Why experts warn it can’t be ruled out
For the moment, eating poultry or game birds isn’t a major concern, as proper cooking kills the virus. Instead, the real danger lies in coming into direct contact with infected animals, or surfaces contaminated by them. The virus typically enters the body through the eyes, nose, mouth, or by being inhaled.
Health officials are calling for urgent action to educate the public, improve surveillance, and invest in measures that could stop bird flu before it spirals out of control.
Because if there’s one thing Covid taught us, it’s that being a step ahead can make all the difference.
