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Why scientists' fears about bird flu are intensifying

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of the H5 bird flu since the 2024 outbreak began.
Finley Delouche/Getty Images
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 67 confirmed human cases of the H5 bird flu since the 2024 outbreak began.

Bird flu or avian influenza is continuing to spread among livestock and other mammals in the United States, raising fears that another pandemic is in our future. Last month, California declared a state of emergency due to rising cases in dairy cattle, and there have been over 65 human cases in the U.S. during this outbreak.

While cases have been largely mild, scientists like Dr. Jesse Goodman, an infectious disease physician at Georgetown University and former FDA official, warn it could evolve and become more dangerous.

"This is like some brush burning around your house," he says. "You better pay attention because it could turn into something else."

The majority of human infections have come from close contact with infected animals, so risk to the public is still considered low. But the virus raises questions about how the U.S. may prepare for the possibility of another pandemic.

Read more of health correspondent Will Stone's reporting here.

Curious about other health updates? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Today's episode was produced by Rachel Carlson. It was edited by Rebecca Ramirez. Tyler Jones checked the facts. Robert Rodriguez was the audio engineer.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Regina G. Barber
Regina G. Barber is Short Wave's Scientist in Residence. She contributes original reporting on STEM and guest hosts the show.
Will Stone
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Rachel Carlson
Rachel Carlson (she/her) is a production assistant at Short Wave, NPR's science podcast. She gets to do a bit of everything: researching, sourcing, writing, fact-checking and cutting episodes.
Rebecca Ramirez
Rebecca Ramirez (she/her) is the founding producer of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. It's a meditation in how to be a Swiss Army Knife, in that it involves a little of everything — background research, finding and booking sources, interviewing guests, writing, cutting the tape, editing, scoring ... you get the idea.