Can humans contract bird flu? Why the current outbreak shouldn’t be feared as a pandemic

Dr. Marc Siegel has been tracking deadly outbreaks of H5N1 avian influenza in poultry for the past two decades, with millions of birds dying and spillover to other species occurring. Recently, a person in Texas contracted the flu but is only experiencing mild symptoms. Despite fears of a human pandemic, the structure of the virus has not significantly changed since 2005. Currently, the virus has only affected a few states and cattle have shown mild symptoms after exposure. Florida can now import prescription drugs from Canada, which is good news for patients. The CDC is closely monitoring the situation to prevent the spread among humans. While there have been predictions of a bird flu pandemic, the public health risk remains low due to the species barrier. However, there is concern about the virus mutating into a deadlier form. Overall, the fear of the virus may be more dangerous than the virus itself, but there is still a risk of the mutation falling into the wrong hands. Dr. Siegel emphasizes the need to stay informed and cautious in dealing with potential outbreaks.

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