Alarming development as mutated bird flu strain that is 30x deadlier leaves American infected READ MORE: Sinister truth behind images of dead cows piling up in California By Maiya Focht Health Reporter For Dailymail.Com Published: 17:21 GMT, 28 October 2024 | Updated: 17:29 GMT, 28 October 2024 e-mail View comments Doctors are expressing alarm about a mutated form of bird flu that infected a farm worker in Texas . The patient contracted the virus, his eyes turning red and itchy, from contact with an infected dairy cow or chicken in Texas.
Government-backed researchers took a sample of the virus, infected mice and ferrets with it and found it had evolved to become far deadlier than the wild strain currently spreading on US farms. It also spread between animals through the air, a key milestone that would theoretically allow it to be more contagious in humans. But crucially, the tests showed that some antiviral drugs could work against this strain of the virus if this is the case.
The experts are now warning health officials to keep a closer eye on the movement of the virus, in order to contain the outbreak before it can evolve further and infect more humans. Discussing the research, government officials said: 'These mutations underscore the need for continued monitoring and evaluation of viruses from the current H5N1 outbreak.' So far, 34 humans in the US have been infected with bird flu in 2023 , 33 of which have been linked to contact with infected cows or poultry.
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