H5N1 bird flu. It’s really worrying.
She said the influenza viruses are actually number one on the list of viruses that pose pandemic threats. Coronaviruses are up there too. But H5N1 ? That’s just very worrying. When it hits humans, the death rate is high. Much higher.
Unlike Covid. Covid had a mortality rate under one percent. H5N1 in humans? The mortality is much, much higher. Swaminathan pointed that out.
The virus is adapting, you see. It’s shown it can jump species. It moved from birds to cats, cattle in the US, minks across continents. That cross-species stuff shows it already figured out how to live in mammals.
Once it’s in mammals, it means it’s adapted. It’s spread from one host to another. It could happen again. Mutations. It could turn into a human virus. Just like SARS-CoV-2 did. It jumped over.
The pandemic risk is huge. Extremely serious. It could be a pandemic that’s way worse than the coronavirus one. That’s why we have to track it. Surveillance is needed. Across all sectors. We need the tools. Vaccines. But we need way more research and development happening right now.
The Hantavirus Question
Then there’s the hantavirus question. Is it the next big thing?
In May 2026, something else emerged. Hantavirus. Eight confirmed cases. Three deaths. The strain found there was the Andes virus.
Swaminathan explained that hantavirus feels different from H5N1. The Andes strain, while it can move between people, it doesn't spread easily. It has lower transmissibility than Covid.
The hantavirus doesn't normally jump from person to person. But this Andes strain? It’s the only one known to do that.
But in this case, it did. It spreads through contact. That’s what keeps evolving. Every time there’s an outbreak, we have to study the whole picture of the epidemiology.
The Andes virus causes lower respiratory infections. Pneumonia. The three people who died, they died from respiratory failure. The spread is less intense compared to Covid. And the other huge difference? This virus probably spreads once someone is already sick. Symptomatic spread. Whereas with SARS-CoV-2? We saw massive asymptomatic spread going on. That made containment so much harder.
Practical Advice and Protection
For families in India, Swaminathan gave practical advice. Stuff you can actually use.
Always. Before you eat. And after you eat.
It’s not. Infections spread through that. Boil it. Pasteurize it. The same goes for meat. It has to be cooked properly.
For H5N1 specifically? The risk from eating properly cooked poultry is minimal. H5N1 doesn’t spread by eating chicken. It spreads to the handlers, the people dealing with live birds that might be sick.
Respiratory rules from Covid still matter. For people who are already vulnerable, protect yourselves in crowded places. A mask isn’t a bad thing on a crowded bus or train or plane. Even in a movie theater.
Vaccination is key. It protects you against known threats. Tetanus and diphtheria vaccines are there. And for adults? You get the flu shot. Pneumococcal shots. Shingles vaccine. There’s a lot of protection available against the things we already know about.
Finally, Swaminathan talked about the noise. The challenge of sharing risk in this age of online lies. Don't start believing everyone who pops up online spreading fear. You have to listen to the public health authorities. Listen to the experts. Follow what they say. That’s the only way forward.
Written by Gree News Team — Senior Editorial Board
Gree News Team covers international news and global affairs at Gree News. Our collective of senior editors is dedicated to providing independent, accurate, and responsible journalism for a global audience.
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