New cases of the H5N1 avian influenza, bird flu, have appeared across the country, most recently at an egg farm in Missouri. Last December, the first severe case of bird flu was confirmed in a patient in Louisiana by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. The patient was exposed to sick and dead birds in a backyard flock.

Bird flu has caused the death of over 300 million birds worldwide, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. More than 500 bird species have been affected, and the FAO said the virus “poses a serious threat to food and nutrition security”.

The CDC has been working closely with federal, state and local governments to respond to these outbreaks, particularly in poultry and dairy cows. According to the CDC, the populations most at risk are farmers, animal health responders and people that work closely with infected animals. The viruses that cause bird flu mainly spread through aquatic birds, like geese, ducks and storks; and domestic poultry, such as turkey and chicken. 

Cameron Foster, a health science student at DePaul, said the rise in bird flu cases reminds her of the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“I don’t think the government is informing us enough about it because I had to do all my own research,” Foster said. “Coming from a farmer’s town, it is very sad to see this happen again because people’s livelihoods are on the line and families have spent a long time building their businesses.”

While the immediate risk to the general public remains low, the CDC continues to monitor the situation closely, as the virus could potentially mutate, leading to more significant human-to-human transmission. 

According to the CDC, “there is no evidence of human-to-human transmission associated with the current avian influenza situation in the United States. Transmission identified outside of a household would be of greater concern than within a household when assessing immediate public health risk.” 

Despite this, health officials are concerned about the possibility of the virus evolving into a more transmissible form, which could heighten global pandemic risks. While bird flu can be transmitted from animals to humans, it doesn’t spread easily between humans. This could change as the virus continues to spread and mutate. 

Lily Smith, an Austin, Texas native, said she hopes the bird flu virus will not turn into a pandemic, as a vaccine is underway. 

“I am worried about the start of another pandemic, but I did read that they are working on a vaccine. I think it’s important that people watch out for symptoms of the virus and quarantine themselves if necessary,” Smith said.

While there is no current recommendation for people to get vaccinated for the bird flu, the CDC has developed H5 candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs). A CVV is what is used in developing flu vaccines. If necessary, these H5 CVVs could be used to produce a bird flu vaccine for humans. 

To track the evolving threat, the CDC is monitoring the virus’ genetic mutations, the distribution of confirmed cases and the severity of illnesses associated with the current outbreaks.

The CDC has reassured the public that heightened vigilance and monitoring are essential to prevent a broader outbreak. Local and state health departments are also on alert, working with the CDC to track and contain any new cases.

Concern about the economic impact, especially with poultry farmers, remains high, as some worry that the current situation could lead to widespread agricultural devastation. States like Iowa and California, significant contributors to the poultry industry, were home to over 38% of impacted birds.

Kate Fosco, a sophomore student studying psychology, said she fears that the virus’ danger is being overshadowed by its economic effects.

“I’ve been kept aware of the headlines from ‘America’s first bird flu death reported in Louisiana’ to concerns of egg shortages,” Fosco said. “It is very interesting to see where sources’ concerns lie regarding the bird flu, as some are undermining its potential devastation and focusing on the rising costs of eggs.”

Fosco said she will be watching the development of the bird flu. To prevent mutation in the virus, it is important to continue to monitor all cases and inhibit exposure with sick animals. 

“Referencing the COVID-19 pandemic, we are aware of how quickly an outbreak can turn into a global epidemic or pandemic,” Fosco said. “It would be naive to think the same acceleration could not happen again with the bird flu.”

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