What is bird flu and how worried should I be about a pandemic? - BBC News

Bird flu is spreading in cattle herds in the US in a surprising development that’s worrying scientists.

1 day agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Helen Briggs & Victoria GillBBC NewsBird flu is spreading in cattle herds in the US in a surprising development that's worrying scientists. There's no evidence the virus can cause a human outbreak, but authorities are keeping a close eye on the situation. What do we know about the H5N1 virus and how worried should we be?

Bird flu is a disease caused by a virus that infects birds and sometimes other animals, such as foxes, seals and otters.

The major strain - circulating among wild birds worldwide - is a type of the virus known as H5N1. It emerged in China in the late 1990s.

Bird migration has led to outbreaks in domestic and wild birds. The virus has in very rare cases infected humans.

Scientists say the current risk to humans is low. Transmission from birds to humans is rare and there has been no sustained human-to-human transmission.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-63464065

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