"h5n1"

The USDA confirmed H5N1 avian flu in a Nebraska dairy herd, the state’s first case. Officials assured milk supply safety, while urging farms to boost biosecurity as investigations continue.

Researchers from the University of Pennsylvania, USA, have found that previous exposure to certain seasonal influenza viruses can enhance cross-reactive immunity against the H5N1 avian influenza virus.

The new version, known as D1.1, was confirmed in Nevada cattle and was linked to the first US death tied to bird flu

The Louisiana Department of Health confirmed that the patient had been hospitalised with the first human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza. The patient was over the age of 65 and was reported to have underlying medical conditions. The patient contracted H5N1 after exposure to a combination of a non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds

Malaria, HIV and tuberculosis kill around 2 million people each year

The H5N1 subtype raises concerns over its ability to jump to humans effortlessly

While human cases of bird flu are still rare, a 11-year-old Cambodian girl died after contracting the virus, WHO also confirmed a human case of bird flu in a Chinese woman

The district administration has also ordered the closure of all poultry farms and shops selling chicken for the next 21 days.