, Columnist
Bird Flu Is a Big Threat. The US Needs to Start Acting Like It.
Scientists suspect a new strain is spreading via dust from bird droppings, carried by the wind.
The latest threat.
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The H5N1 bird flu may not officially qualify as a pandemic pathogen yet, but it could easily kill many more people and wreak economic havoc in 2025.
In the last few weeks, the virus has spun off a new variant that has killed one person and sent a teenager into critical condition. New bird flu outbreaks have also struck major egg-laying operations in Indiana and Georgia, leading to heists of the precious commodity and the ominous sight of empty supermarket shelves where cartons of eggs should be.