Escalating Bird Flu Crisis: Experts Warn U.S. on Brink of New Epidemic
As bird flu tears through American farms, top health authorities are sounding the alarm—warning that the U.S. may be heading toward another major health crisis.
So far, the highly contagious H5N1 virus has hit nearly 1,000 dairy cow herds, with over 70 confirmed human infections and the first reported death already shaking public health officials.
Experts from the Global Virus Network (GVN) caution that the poultry industry is in grave danger, especially in high-density farming regions where protective gear is scarce or underused.
Since 2022, more than 168 million birds have been lost due to the outbreak, devastating poultry supplies and driving egg prices sharply upward.
Rising Pandemic Threat: Bird Flu Surge Sparks Global Alarm from Leading Health Experts
As bird flu (H5N1) spreads rapidly across U.S. farms, top scientists are warning that America may be on the cusp of a new epidemic. Nearly 1,000 dairy herds have been affected so far, and over 70 human infections—including the nation’s first confirmed death—have been reported in 2024 alone.
Health experts from the Global Virus Network (GVN) caution that the virus is evolving dangerously. Through a process called reassortment, where two viruses infect the same host and exchange genetic material, H5N1 could gain the ability to spread more easily between humans—a scenario that has not yet occurred, but one experts say is increasingly plausible.
“This virus might not go pandemic, but it is really trying hard, and it sure is getting a lot of opportunities,”
— Dr. Marc Johnson, Virologist, University of Missouri
GVN scientists are now urging world governments to act decisively: ramp up surveillance, strengthen biosecurity protocols, and prepare for the worst. Without urgent action, they warn, we could face a repeat of the chaotic early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Crisis Brewing in Silence
Since early 2022, more than 168 million poultry have either died or been culled due to H5N1—devastating the poultry industry and sending egg prices soaring. In 2025 alone, the virus has been found in 1,031 dairy herds across 17 states, mainly in California and Colorado.
Over 70 human cases have emerged this year, the highest tally in decades. Most cases were mild and occurred among farmworkers exposed to infected animals. However, two cases—one involving a toddler in California and another in an adult in Missouri—remain unexplained, raising red flags.
The first U.S. bird flu death, recorded in January in Louisiana, involved an elderly patient with underlying conditions who had contact with backyard poultry. Genetic analysis later revealed potential mutations that could make the virus more virulent in humans.
Systemic Weaknesses, Global Risks
Experts are critical of the U.S. response. Until late 2024, testing of cattle and farm workers remained largely voluntary. Only livestock crossing state lines faced mandatory screening. Critics argue that this slow and fragmented approach has allowed the virus to spread “in slow motion.”
The situation is further complicated by funding cuts: a $590 million contract to Moderna for bird flu vaccine development may be revoked under the new administration, and the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response (OPPR) has reportedly been underfunded and stripped of key staff.
Even the National Security Council, now handling pandemic response, is under scrutiny for limiting transparency.
Wildlife Infections and Environmental Spread
H5N1 has now been detected in more than 12,875 wild and domestic flocks, as well as over 400 non-avian species including skunks, raccoons, seals, and red foxes—often infected after scavenging infected birds. Pigs have also contracted the virus, raising fears they could become “mixing vessels” for a new hybrid strain.
Meanwhile, wastewater surveillance has shown alarming trends: over 80% of samples tested positive in some areas of Iowa and California, underscoring the virus’s growing environmental footprint.
What’s Being Done
The USDA has mandated that all facilities handling raw milk submit samples for testing, following discoveries of the virus in unpasteurized products. Fortunately, the U.S. maintains a stockpile of 20 million bird flu vaccines, with capacity to produce 100 million more if needed.
Antiviral medications like oseltamivir (Tamiflu) are available and have been used in recent human cases. Efforts are also underway to test avian flu vaccines for poultry and assess the effectiveness of antivirals in infected cows.
A Call to Action
GVN Director Dr. Peter Palese emphasized the urgency of stepping up prevention:
“We must enhance biosecurity in agriculture, educate the public, and prepare for possible human transmission. Surveillance at the animal-human interface is not just important—it’s essential.”
With the virus continuing to spread and mutate, many scientists now consider H5N1 the most dangerous pandemic threat facing the world today.