Mongabay Newscast
Experts warn bird flu poses ‘an existential threat’ to biodiversity, and a possible threat to humans
Episode guests
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Quick takeaways
- Experts highlight that the ongoing H5N1 outbreak poses an existential threat to biodiversity, significantly impacting over 500 species worldwide.
- The podcast underscores the urgent need for enhanced pandemic preparedness and cohesive public health strategies to address potential human transmission of H5N1.
Deep dives
Global Zoonotic Risks and Current Outbreaks
The interconnectedness of our world has created a significant risk for zoonotic outbreaks, where viruses can jump from animals to humans with alarming speed. Factors such as climate change, deforestation, and industrial farming practices contribute to close encounters between humans and wildlife, increasing the opportunities for such events to occur. The current outbreak of H5N1, also known as avian influenza, exemplifies this risk as it has infected over 500 species globally, with a growing number of cases reported in mammals and humans. Experts warn that as this virus adapts to new hosts, the likelihood of a pandemic heightens, and there is a pressing concern over the lack of investment in pandemic preparedness and public health infrastructure to mitigate these threats.
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