An H5N1 outbreak is killing flocks of wild birds in Massachusetts and sickening dairy cows in 16 states while a new strain of H5N9 bird flu has emerged in California. As bird flu continues to spread among animals, experts are on high alert for signs the virus has found the genetic key it needs to unlock a widespread problem for humans.
For now, the risk to people is still low, even with a new strain on the rise.
“While the 67 human avian influenza cases can be tracked back to an animal source, there has been no reported human-to-human transmission — if that were to occur, then we might be facing another pandemic as almost no one would be immune,” said Jeffery A. Goad, president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. “The avian influenza virus needs to make genetic changes to allow it to be transmitted from…