Experts Warn of Growing Bird Flu Threat as U.S. Human Cases Reach 61

The H5N1 virus, increasingly found in poultry and dairy cattle, is just one mutation away from potentially enabling human-to-human transmission.

California leads the nation with 34 of the 61 confirmed human cases of bird flu, followed by Colorado with 10 cases, according to the CDC.
The virus, which has primarily spread through direct contact with infected animals, has recently been detected in dairy herds and a U.S. pig, raising concerns about cross-species transmission.
A mutation enabling easier human-to-human transmission could significantly increase infection rates, though experts stress this has not yet occurred.
Farmworkers remain at the highest risk, and experts urge enhanced surveillance, expanded vaccination efforts, and stricter biosecurity measures to curb the spread.
The CDC and WHO currently assess the risk to the general public as low, but emphasize the need for vigilance given the virus's ongoing evolution.