This May Be Our Last Chance to Halt Bird Flu in Humans and We Are Blowing It
So far there is only one confirmed human case. Rick Bright, an expert on the H5N1 virus who served on President Joe Biden's coronavirus advisory board, told me this is the crucial moment. "There's a fine line between one person and 10 people with H5N1," he said. "By the time we've detected 10, it's probably too late" to contain.
"According to many public health officials, the virus load in the infected cows' milk is especially high, raising the possibility that the disease is being spread through milking machines or from aerosolized spray when the milking room floors are power washed. Another possible route is the cows' feed, owing to the fairly revolting fact that the U.S. allows farmers to feed leftover poultry bedding material -- feathers, excrement, spilled seeds -- to dairy and beef cattle as a cheap source of additional protein."