Washington, D.C. – Former CDC Director Robert Redfield has raised concerns about the potential for a bird flu pandemic among humans, stating that it is not a matter of if, but when it will happen. Redfield’s warning comes after a 59-year-old man in Mexico died from a bird-flu-related illness, sparking fears about the lethality of such a pandemic.
Redfield, who led the CDC from 2018 to 2021, emphasized that various mammals, including cows, cats, and ferrets, have been found to carry the bird flu virus. He highlighted the threat of a potential pandemic that could result in a 25 to 50 percent fatality rate among those infected. This stands in contrast to the 1.7% case-fatality rate seen in COVID-19 before the availability of vaccines.
Experts like Louise Moncla, an avian flu researcher at the University of Pennsylvania, expressed concerns about the possibility of the bird flu virus adapting to spread among humans. The World Health Organization reported that the man in Mexico who died from bird flu had no known contact with poultry or other animals, indicating a potential for human-to-human transmission.
The bird flu strain H5N2, which caused the man’s death in Mexico, had never before been found in humans. Another strain, H5N1, has infected around 900 people globally since its discovery in 1996, with a mortality rate of about 50 percent. The CDC’s Principal Deputy Director Nirav Shah warned of the risk of an international spread of the virus, urging vigilance in monitoring and preventing a potential pandemic.
According to the CDC’s timeline, 36 cases of HPAI H5N6 were reported in China in 2021, with 18 resulting in death. While bird flu primarily spreads among birds and animals, there is a risk of transmission to humans through contact with infected animals’ excretions. The growing concern over the possibility of a bird flu pandemic underscores the importance of proactive measures and global cooperation in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.