Everything you need to know about bird flu - Benjamin Anderson (Level 1)

In March 2024, US veterinarians faced a mystery on dairy farms in Texas and nearby states. Cows stopped eating and made thick, discolored milk. Cats on the farms had a strange brain disease. Common tests found nothing. Lab results showed the cause: bird flu, called H5N1. Bird flu usually infects birds, but sometimes other animals. Wild birds carry many flu viruses and often do not get sick, so they spread the virus. Usually, humans are safe because bird flu does not easily infect people. But flu viruses can change. When two flu viruses meet in one animal, they can mix and create a new virus. This new virus might infect humans more easily. H5N1 has now been found in more than 70 kinds of mammals, including cows, cats, foxes, and seals. Human infections are still rare. Scientists are watching the virus and testing vaccines. We should stay careful, not panic.