Avian Flu: What You Need to know
The avian flu virus is circulating worldwide, particularly among wild birds. But what is the risk to humans, and what should we be aware of?
Avian flu spread in Europe this fall unusually early and quickly. The Pasteur Institute in france is sounding the alarm over a possible mutation of the virus, as Marie-Anne Rameix-Welti, director of the Center for Respiratory Infections, told Reuters:
“A bird flu pandemic would probably be very serious, perhaps even more serious than the covid pandemic”
Specialists fear the virus could adapt to mammals, especially humans, and become transmissible from person to person. The Pasteur Institute was among the first European laboratories to develop Covid-19 screening tests.
A Pandemic Risk Still Low
Humans possess antibodies against typical seasonal flu strains, but not against H5 avian flu, which impacts both birds and mammals, according to Marie-Anne Rameix-welti.Unlike Covid, which primarily affected vulnerable groups, influenza viruses can cause the death of all age groups.