Public Health Experts Claim More Needs to Be Done to Stop the Spread of Bird Flu

More enhanced approaches to stopping the spread of H5N1 (bird flu) are crucial in avoiding a pandemic-level event in the future, according to a study published in The Lancet.¹ Despite the North American bird flu outbreak considered “mild” with just 70 reported human cases, a historical mortality rate of around 50% shows that threats of the bird flu deserve no underreactions.²

“Recent animal and human infections with highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus in the US have raised concerns related to an emerging pandemic. From 2024 through April 2025, there have been confirmed cases in 995+ dairy cow herds, 168+ million birds, 1650+ flocks,…