Florida scientists have reported the first known and fatal case of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza in a bottlenose dolphin.

    • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      I laughed out loud when you said extinction level event. Come on now.

      Trump said the same thing about covid. It’s no big deal. It’ll go away soon. Nobody’s going to die from it. Look at how well that turned out.

      Bird flu in humans has a fatality rate of over 50% in humans. By comparison, Covid has a fatality rate of <3%.

      Covid caused 2 million deaths in the US alone, with a fatality rate of <3%. What the hell do you think would happen with a disease that spreads just as easily if not more so and a fatality rate where half of the people who get it are going to die?

      • Tacos_y_margaritas@lemmynsfw.com
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        6 months ago

        Not to mention that COVID damages the immune system and we’ve been letting it spread like wildfire opening the floodgates for another virus to come in and take advantage. H5N1 in a population with an already damaged immune system could be catastrophic.