News that the avian flu strain H5N1 has migrated into mammals is not new.
However the spread of avian flu in cattle in the US is beginning to alarm scientists.
The pathogen as yet does not seem to have mutated in a way that makes it easily transmissible to humans, although some cases have been reported of transmission.
Scientists are studying the virus intensely, and much preparatory work is being done to ready the world for a human ‘bird flu’ outbreak. Here’s hoping the worst does not occur.
