Current strains of bird flu are “poorly suited for pandemic potential,” said Dr. Shira Doron, a Tufts Medicine infectious disease expert.

Avian flu is rampant in poultry farms and in wild birds in the U.S. Every mutation brings the virus one step closer to the brink of human-to-human transmission, but predicting whether a virus will cross that threshold remains an uncertain science.

Local veterinarians are warning pet owners to take extra precautions as a particularly contagious strain of bird flu spreads across the country. Cats in particular are at risk of contracting the virus,

In early December 2024, a group of researchers published an article in the journal Science, entitled "A single mutation in bovine influenza H5N1 hemagglutinin switches specificity to human receptors".

The first person in the U.S. just died from a strain of the virus in Louisiana, but there’s still some simple ways to stay safe.

The bird flu, which seemed to be fading away, has once again set off alarms. With the first death recorded in the United States and the virus detected in every state, the situation is becoming increasingly complex.