A group of leading health experts has issued a grave warning about the rising threat of H5N1 that could potentially spark the next major pandemic in the United States.

According to a recent report covered by the Daily Mail, this highly pathogenic bird flu has already begun infecting mammals, including cattle and humans.

The alert stems from a surge in H5N1 outbreaks across the country, particularly among dairy cattle in several U.S. states.

What’s deeply concerning to virologists and epidemiologists is the virus’s ability to jump from birds to mammals, and now to humans.

While only one human case has been officially confirmed—an individual in Texas who reported eye inflammation after working with infected cattle—the incident reveals that the virus is evolving in ways that suggest increased transmissibility across species.

Dr. Rick Bright, a virologist and former director of the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA), emphasized the danger in an interview with the Daily Mail.

He pointed out that if H5N1 acquires mutations allowing it to spread efficiently between humans, it could lead to a pandemic with a high fatality rate—far deadlier than COVID-19.

Historical data on H5N1 shows a human fatality rate of around 50% in previously confirmed global cases, though those infections typically arose from direct bird contact.

This recent spread in cattle is unprecedented. The virus has never before been observed circulating so extensively among mammals in the U.S., and scientists are racing to understand how it’s spreading.

Some indications are that contaminated milk may be a transmission vector, although pasteurization is believed to kill the virus. Still, raw milk consumption and exposure during dairy processing pose concerns.

In response to the escalating threat, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) are closely monitoring the situation.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has begun testing cattle herds and has increased surveillance of both animal and human infections.

Experts stress that now is the time for global preparedness.

That includes stockpiling vaccines, investing in rapid diagnostics, and enhancing public awareness.

A failure to act swiftly, they warn, could result in repeating the early missteps of the COVID-19 crisis—this time with a virus that may be even more lethal.

The warning is a reminder that pandemics don’t always originate in distant countries or follow familiar patterns.

As H5N1 continues to mutate and infect new species within the United States, vigilance and early intervention are crucial to preventing another global health catastrophe.