America’s Alarming Bird-Flu Strategy: Hope for the Best

Government

Photo-Illustration: Intelligencer; Photo: Getty Images H5N1, a subtype of avian flu , has been a major issue for American farmers since 2020. But it’s increasingly becoming a problem for people, too. Initially confined to poultry, the virus has spread to several species over the years, including foxes, minks, and alpacas, and earlier this year, cows. This year, a large-scale infection in cows led to a spate of human cases. Most alarmingly, three recent infections in people — including one that