Risk of Human Bird Flu Pandemic Has Increased in Recent Months
Avian Flu (bird flu) continues to decimate farms and wild animal populations, and the virus has shown signs of becoming a greater direct threat to people. Recent studies have shown that the virus has undergone mutations that may pave the way for a future pandemic in humans. Experts say that “toothless guidelines, inadequate testing and long delays in releasing data…have squandered opportunities for containing the outbreak.” The continued reinfection of farms indicates that Avian Flu “could circulate on farms indefinitely, finding opportunities to evolve into a more dangerous form – a ‘high-risk’ scenario”, explained Louise Moncla, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Pennsylvania.
Full Story: New York Times, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health
Historically Large Tuberculosis Outbreak Hits Kansas
The Kansas City metro area is dealing with what is now one of the largest Tuberculosis (TB) outbreaks in US history. Wyandotte and Johnson counties have confirmed 67 active infections as of January 24. Two people have died from their infections. While cases of TB are generally low nationwide due to successful prevention programs, TB infections have risen every year between 2020-2023. TB is a bacterial infection that spreads through the air when an infected person speaks, coughs or sneezes. A person with active TB may experience a cough persisting for a few weeks, fever, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss and night sweats. If not treated, TB disease can result in death.