The most recent on fowl flu and its dangers : Brief Wave : NPR


In line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, there have been 67 confirmed human instances of the H5 fowl flu because the 2024 outbreak started.

Finley Delouche/Getty Photos


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Finley Delouche/Getty Photos


In line with the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention, there have been 67 confirmed human instances of the H5 fowl flu because the 2024 outbreak started.

Finley Delouche/Getty Photos

Fowl flu or avian influenza is constant to unfold amongst livestock and different mammals in the US, elevating fears that one other pandemic is in our future. Final month, California declared a state of emergency as a consequence of rising instances in dairy cattle, and there have been over 65 human instances within the U.S. throughout this outbreak.

Whereas instances have been largely delicate, scientists like Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious illness doctor at Georgetown College and former FDA official, warn it might evolve and develop into extra harmful.

“That is like some brush burning round your home,” he says. “You higher listen as a result of it might flip into one thing else.”

Nearly all of human infections have come from shut contact with contaminated animals, so danger to the general public remains to be thought of low. However the virus raises questions on how the U.S. might put together for the potential for one other pandemic.

Learn extra of well being correspondent Will Stone’s reporting right here.

Interested by different well being updates? E-mail us at [email protected].

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In the present day’s episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the details. Robert Rodriguez was the audio engineer.

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