Will Stone

That would be a key step in the path to this becoming a pandemic.

That would be a key step in the path to this becoming a pandemic.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, scientists who study influenza have told me they are about as worried as they've ever been about a potential bird flu pandemic. Now, that doesn't mean it will necessarily happen. Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and a former FDA official, put it this way to me.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

Yeah, this strain of H5N1 bird flu that's driving the current outbreak worldwide, it emerged in 2020. It's known as highly pathogenic avian influenza because of how lethal it is in poultry. It eventually started spreading in North America in late 2021. This was in wild migratory birds, but it eventually found its way onto poultry farms, so we started to see outbreaks there.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

These viruses technically belong to a group or a clade known as 2.3.4.4b, not the easiest name to remember.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Yeah, that's okay. Just know that this strain is concerning because scientists had been seeing more and more mammals getting infected than we would typically expect with bird flu. So it was a big surprise when it started spreading widely in dairy cattle. That was unprecedented.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.

Along with the spread in cattle and poultry farms, all of this gives the virus more opportunities to spill over into humans and potentially mutate.

So it's all over. It's still infecting dairy herds in the U.S. A lot of that is happening in California. It's still being detected in poultry flocks all over the country because wild birds end up mixing in the poultry farms and then it just tears through those facilities. Like I mentioned earlier, about 65 people, a little over that, have caught the virus so far.

So it's all over. It's still infecting dairy herds in the U.S. A lot of that is happening in California. It's still being detected in poultry flocks all over the country because wild birds end up mixing in the poultry farms and then it just tears through those facilities. Like I mentioned earlier, about 65 people, a little over that, have caught the virus so far.

So it's all over. It's still infecting dairy herds in the U.S. A lot of that is happening in California. It's still being detected in poultry flocks all over the country because wild birds end up mixing in the poultry farms and then it just tears through those facilities. Like I mentioned earlier, about 65 people, a little over that, have caught the virus so far.