The globe is currently experiencing the worst avian flu outbreak in the history of recorded wild birds. The episode has resulted in the slaughtering of thousands of 

The globe is currently experiencing the worst avian flu outbreak in the history of recorded wild birds. The episode has resulted in the slaughtering of thousands of birds and forced millions of chickens to be kept indoors and under lockdown.

Wild birds frequently contract the flu each year. 

Still, the H5N1 variant that is currently ravaging Japan is particularly contagious and lethal.

 The risk to farmed species, such as chickens and turkeys, is so great that even one infection on a farm means the death of the entire flock.

In general, the outbreak is worsening the hardship brought on by rising living costs, upsetting food supply networks, and requiring the killing of millions of chickens that would otherwise have ended up on the shelves of our grocery stores.

In addition to the lasting effects of COVID-related interruptions and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the disease is one of the factors driving up the price of both poultry meat and eggs.

The possibility that the ravaging bird flu could spread to hitherto unexplored areas, including morphing into the next pandemic, is one of the major issues these days.

According to a virology professor at the University of Edinburgh, "The current state of affairs is unprecedented. The UK saw its worst case of highly dangerous avian influenza last winter. This year is expected to match or surpass that " He added, "It's unusual because of the amount of illnesses we've seen in wild birds, particularly seabirds, as well as the number of infections that have happened in poultry."

"Another thing that has changed is that high pathogenic avian flu outbreaks that occasionally occur in northern Europe and the UK during the winter months would vanish in the summer. This time though the virus died down significantly throughout the course of last summer, it never completely vanished. Therefore, 

the virus has altered in a way that hasn't been observed before in this region of the world ".

Researchers believe that the infection is uncommon in humans. Still, when it did occur, it had a case fatality rate of about 50%. Six individuals died, and 18 people contracted bird flu during the 1997 pandemic.

According to Digard, the virus has improved since that time and from a human perspective. It appears to be infecting humans far less frequently, and when it does, it results in milder sickness. So, for now, there is no need to fear because the risk to human health is lower. 

However, virologists are still wary, as, like COVID, the avian flu virus is constantly evolving and never remains the same. Thus there is a potential that the virus will evolve in the future. 

It cannot be guaranteed that it won't adapt or evolve in a way that will create the next pandemic, but it's really low-risk right now

. To prevent virus spillovers in this situation, how we raise animals for the meat and dairy markets is critical. In order to lower the likelihood that those transmission events will occur in the first place, "We can improve your security protocols, and you can change the way you design farms."

Following the COVID-19 outbreak, which is thought to have originated in an unnamed animal and spread to people, experts warn that the next pandemic will likely originate from another zoonotic illness like coronavirus. 

Even though scientists have advised that there is no need to panic, it cannot be completely ruled out that due to the high transmissibility and mortality of the virus, which has a devastating effect on birds, the spread of avian flu could be dangerous for people.

Largest Global Bird Flu Outbreak ‘In History'; Should Humans be Alarmed?

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