Bird Flu: A Growing Concern in the US

Scientists are worried that bird flu might be changing to spread more easily to humans. The US just reported its first severe case. A woman from Louisiana got very sick after touching sick or dead birds. She's over 65 and has other health issues. So far, 65 people in the US have caught bird flu this year. Experts think there might be more cases that haven't been found yet. A teenager in Canada also got sick.

The virus found in the woman's throat had some changes that might make it stick better to human cells. These changes haven't been seen in birds. The virus isn't spreading between people yet, but experts are worried it could in the future. They say it's one step in the virus becoming more contagious. Bird flu is now common in many US states. California's governor declared an emergency after the virus was found in many dairy herds. The virus is also in the UK. Thousands of turkeys have been killed to stop it from spreading.

Actions