The bird flu spreading through cattle in the United States is an “enormous concern” the chief scientist of the World Health Organization said Thursday as he called for more tracking and preparation for the virus.
I don’t think that China is the only vector for a potential pandemic (MERS didn’t start in China after all), but China does have the crowded wet markets full of exotic animals trapped from all over the country in small cages, which is the good way to get a virus to make the jump to us. That may or may not have been what happened with COVID, but it is a huge risk even if it has yet to happen.
The first description of avian influenza (bird flu) dates to 1878 in northern Italy, when it was described as a contagious disease of poultry associated with high mortality, referred to as “fowl plague.” At the turn of the 20th century, it was determined that “fowl plague” was caused by a virus; however, it was not until 1955 that the virus was shown to be a type A influenza virus. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/timeline/avian-timeline-background.htm
Turns out Covid was just round 1 of international pandemics from China.
Edit: yes, technically it was round 4 (SARS, bird flu, swine flu, Covid, now Bird Flu: this time its personal)
What does this one have to do with China?
I don’t think that China is the only vector for a potential pandemic (MERS didn’t start in China after all), but China does have the crowded wet markets full of exotic animals trapped from all over the country in small cages, which is the good way to get a virus to make the jump to us. That may or may not have been what happened with COVID, but it is a huge risk even if it has yet to happen.
if you think wet markets are a good source of zoonotic viruses I have great news about factory-farms
Yes, those are also a good source. I’m not sure why you think I believe there’s only one source.
Bird flu originated in China and its ability to jump species, as well as its lethality, was well documented there too.
Not according to the CDC.
Thats a strain of bird flu.
This strain originated in China.
Proof please.
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01036-1
Specifically:
In 1996
Yes, thats when the strain thats now in US cows was detected. The article I posted says that too.
What am i looking at exactly there? It cant be human pop distribution.
It is (though outdated)
The North America and Asia colours are confusing. I thought the 60% was North America.