H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Raises Pandemic Concerns, Experts Warn

Experts from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) have raised alarms about the H5N1 strain of bird flu, stating that it has the potential to become a pandemic, particularly as a case was recently confirmed in a sheep in England. Richard Pebody, a director at UKHSA, noted that while the public risk remains low, the virus's features have changed in recent years, warranting close monitoring. In the U.S., reports indicate that H5N1 is mutating rapidly, which could diminish the effectiveness of existing vaccines and increase its threat to human health. Scientists are concerned that these mutations may enable human-to-human transmission, escalating pandemic risks. The evolving nature of the virus has led to calls for urgent vaccine development and heightened surveillance. Current evidence suggests that while human infections are rare, the situation is being closely watched due to the virus's potential to infect other species and its high mortality rate in birds.