Bird flu in US 2024: Is eating eggs safe? All you need to know

As the Avian influenza spreads in different parts of the United States, infecting both, humans and animals, health concerns in the country seems to be growing rapidly around this issue. The influenza has seen a multi-state outbreak, mostly among cows in different regions of the country. This typical bird flu virus has also been found in raw milk, but a report by NBC suggests that exposure chances to the public on the basis of consumption is quite low.

As a first, this strain of bird flu, commonly known as the Avian influenza, which is highly pathogenic in nature, has affected both humans as well as cattle. Although, the human encounter to this virus is quite low as compared to the cattle infection. Moreover this is the first documented case of a cow-to-human transmission of the this H5N1 virus, as per a report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC has also reported only the second case of human transmission of a bird flu ever.

Health officials in the US are currently on high alert in the case of any chances of mass transmission of this new flu form. Moreover, US is still haunted from the horrors of Covid-19 and will look at curbing any chances of mass outbreaks of a virus in the country. While the concept of “bird flu” may be alarming, reviving fears and horrors of the Covid pandemic, the instances of a bird being ridden with influenza is a quite common concept, says the NBC report.

FAQs:

Q1. What type of virus is the Avian influenza?
A1. The Avian influenza, highly pathogenic by nature, is a H5N1 type influenza A virus, currently affecting cattle based in the United States and even humans.

Q2. What does the US CDC wing do?
A2. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is a federal body responsible for detecting in kind of diseases, viruses which may affect lives or livestock in the United States and chalk out plans on curbing it.