India, April 29 -- US health experts are voicing concerns as the H5N1 avian flu virus rapidly propagates throughout US dairy farms. The outbreak has impacted over 1,000 dairy herds across the country since March 2024. It has resulted in over 70 human infections and at least one verified death.

The virus's ongoing presence in mammals raises the possibility of shifts that could allow for human-to-human transmission, according to the Global Virus Network (GVN). They stress how urgent it is to implement improved surveillance, standardized testing, and vaccination programs for farmworkers and animals alike.

Sten H. Vermund, MD, PhD, dean of the USF Health College of Public Health at the University of South Florida, USA, stated that "Understa...