CSN News: Experts sound the alarm about pandemic risks as bird flu fears increase.

Global health experts are once again raising the alarm about bird flu, warning that it is evolving rapidly and on the verge of causing a pandemic.

It comes as the H5N1 strain continues to wreak havoc on farms in the United States, jumping from birds to cattle — and, worryingly, to people.

Over 70 human cases have been recorded so far. The first death has also been confirmed. Seven human cases have been reported in the UK since 2021. Scientists are also keeping an eye on the situation after a Yorkshire farmer reported the first ever case of bird influenza in sheep this year.

The experts’ message is clear: Stay alert, be aware of the symptoms, and prepare.

Bird flu mutations accelerate: Why experts are deeply worried

It’s not just the number of cases that’s worrying scientists — it’s what’s happening inside them. A group of leading specialists from the Global Virus Network (GVN) recently warned that the virus is ‘trying very hard’ to make the leap to humans in a much bigger way.

Dr Marc Johnson, a virologist at the University of Missouri, put it bluntly on social media: bird flu is ‘getting a lot of opportunities’ to cause serious trouble.

California authorities declared an emergency after the virus was found in hundreds of herds of dairy cows. Genetic tests of the first human fatal case indicated that the virus may have mutated within the patient. This could make the illness more aggressive.

A man who was 65 years old and had health problems had come into contact with sick or dead backyard birds. His tragic death serves to remind us of the dangers if this virus becomes widespread.

Meanwhile, Canadian health officials are dealing with another troubling case — a teenager hospitalised and placed on a ventilator after catching bird flu, with no clear link to infected animals.

Bird flu symptoms: early warning signs you shouldn’t disregard

Early recognition is crucial if bird flu spreads more easily. Bird flu symptoms can look similar to the common cold, making it difficult to identify.

Early symptoms include a sore throat, headaches and muscle aches. Some people may also have difficulty breathing or experience shortness in breath.

However, in more serious cases, it can lead to pneumonia, dangerously high fevers above 37.7°C (100°F), and the need for urgent hospital care.

Public health experts stress that you can’t confirm bird flu based on symptoms alone — laboratory tests are needed. Doctors take swabs out of the nose or throat and eyes. They prefer to do this in the early days of illness when it is easiest to detect the virus. In severe cases samples taken from the lungs could be needed.

If you’re unlucky enough to catch it but start to recover, it can sometimes become harder for tests to pick up the virus — so timing matters.

Experts warn of a bird flu pandemic.

British health experts say that for now the overall risk is low. We can’t afford to become complacent.

Professor Paul Hunter of the University of East Anglia is an infectious disease specialist. He says that the biggest concern is if the virus will continue to evolve. If it spreads quickly and easily between people, then we could be faced with another global crisis.

Experts warn that a bird flu pandemic cannot be ruled out.

At the moment, it’s not a big deal to eat poultry or game birds, since proper cooking will kill the virus. In fact, the greatest danger comes from coming in direct contact with an infected animal or a surface contaminated by it. Viruses enter the body via the nose, mouth or eyes.

Health officials have called for immediate action to educate the population, improve surveillance and invest in measures which could stop bird influenza before it spirals out-of-control.

Covid has taught us that a little bit of foresight can make a big difference.