(Natural News)—Experts have warned that a bird flu pandemic could be “100 times worse” than Wuhan coronavirus (COVID-19) and kill at least 50 percent of infected patients. The White House has also announced that it is keeping an eye on the developing situation.
In a recent briefing, virus researchers warned that the H5N1 strain of bird flu or avian flu could be getting “dangerously close” to causing another pandemic. The briefing was attended by avian flu researchers, doctors and officials from government agencies who were worried about the bird flu case in a human patient.
Several reported cases of bird flu in a variety of mammals, including cows, cats, and, more recently, humans, are all increasing the risk of the virus mutating to become more transmissible, warned experts. However, others who also attended the briefing advised that it was too early to panic because there were still too many unknown factors about recent cases to warrant alarming the public.
On April 3, a White House representative announced that it was tracking bird flu in the country. Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, also explained that President Joe Biden has been briefed on avian flu. Jean-Pierre added that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other agencies are investigating the matter.
The briefing was conducted after reports revealed that a dairy farm worker in Texas tested positive for bird flu, alongside 12 herds of cows in six states and three cats also in Texas that subsequently died.
Testing done on the worker has revealed that the virus had already mutated to spread more easily. However, the CDC claimed that this mutation had been recorded before, that the risk was low and that there was no sign of human-to-human transmission.
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John Fulton, a pharmaceutical industry consultant for vaccines and founder of BioNiagara, a Canada-based pharmaceutical company, organized the briefing after receiving inquiries from the media.
Dr. Suresh Kuchipudi, a bird flu researcher in Pittsburgh and one of the speakers at the briefing, advised that avian flu “[has been] on the top of the pandemic list for many, many years and probably decades.” He also added that the virus could soon potentially cause a pandemic.
Kuchipudi said H5N1 virus has the potential to become a “pandemic virus” because it is being globally distributed and able to infect a range of mammalian hosts, including humans. He warned that the avian flu “has the greatest pandemic threat [that is] playing out in plain sight and is globally present.”
H5N1 influenza A strain could mutate and maintain a high case fatality rate, experts warn
Kuchipudi’s thoughts were echoed by Fulton, who said the H5N1 strain of influenza A could trigger a worse pandemic than the coronavirus. According to Fulton, bird flu could be “100 times worse than COVID,” or it could be if bird flu eventually mutates and maintains its high case fatality rate.
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Fulton said once bird flu has mutated to infect humans, the world can only “hope that the [fatality rate] drops.”
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the estimated fatality rate for H5N1 is 52 percent, based on the 462 deaths recorded among the 887 people diagnosed with the virus since 2003. Meanwhile, COVID-19 only kills less than 0.1 percent of infected patients. (Related: Largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. halts production because of claimed avian flu outbreaks in Texas and Michigan.)
Since 2020, when the new strain of bird flu emerged and began spreading across the globe, seven out of 26 people infected with H5N1 have died, or nearly 30 percent.
Some experts cautioned that in more serious but rare cases, H5N1 could infect the respiratory tract, which could cause pneumonia. Bird flu can also infect other areas, such as the eyes, where it causes inflammation.
Newer infectious diseases tend to have high fatality rates because people do not yet have a defense against them, which allows the virus to get past the immune system and cause a more severe infection.
Other experts advised that people shouldn’t panic. One of them was David Swayne, who has studied avian flu infections in animals for decades.
Swayne explained that for the cattle cases, there is not enough data and that it’s easy for the alarm to be raised. However, he cautioned that those monitoring the matter must first carefully fill in the “huge lack of knowledge” about the matter.
Some ongoing studies are examining infected cattle.
As of writing, 12 farms across six states in the U.S. have reported H5N1 infections in their cows. This included five in Texas, along with several farms in New Mexico, Michigan, Ohio, Idaho and Kansas. Researchers are also conducting tests on cows in Iowa.
Scientists have reported that infected cattle are lethargic, eating less food and producing less milk. However, they are not dying from their infections.
There are also many unknown factors in the human, such as how the patient was infected. Experts believe that the patient could have been infected because of direct contact with cows or from touching a surface contaminated with the virus and then touching their face.
While many mammals are being infected with avian flu, experts have shared that there is one species they are focusing on: pigs.
Pigs have the same receptors in their lungs as humans, and this means an outbreak among the mammals could predict a similar episode in humans. However, infections are not currently being recorded in pigs.
Researchers have also warned that pigs could become infected with human and avian flu viruses at the same time. This could then swap genes through a process called reassortment, creating a new version of the virus.
The situation has a potentially wider impact than just causing panic because it could also increase milk and egg prices.
First, milk from infected cows cannot be sold. Additionally, egg farms are required to cull all their chickens when avian flu is detected. This could take farms months to recover from.
Avian flu was behind the surge in egg prices in 2020, when the price of a dozen large Grade A eggs increased from $1.72 to $3.59 over the year to November 2022. At their peak, prices reached $4.82 for a dozen eggs.
Watch the video for more information about the bird flu cases reported in dairy cows in Texas, New Mexico and Kansas. This video is from the TruNews channel on Brighteon.com.
More related stories:
- Hong Kong recently banned U.S. poultry amid bird flu outbreak in 5 states.
- NEW STUDY: H3N8 avian flu virus has strong transmission potential, with risk of causing an outbreak.
- USDA funding “dangerous bird flu experiments” with Chinese scientists that some fear could spark a whole new pandemic.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
