H5N1 bird flu has been detected in a pig in the United States for the first time, sparking concern that the virus could become better at infecting and spreading between humans. The animal was found in a backyard farm in the US state of Oregon that was also home to H5N1-infected poultry, the US Department for Agriculture (USDA) said on Wednesday. The livestock and poultry on the farm reportedly shared water sources, housing and equipment, and at least two other pigs on the property have been tested for bird flu.
Scientists are awaiting the results. Although H5N1 is not new – it was first detected in the 1990s – the virus has spread rapidly in wild bird populations since 2020..