Thread by @DrEricDing

📍BIRD HUNTING AVIAN FLU DEATH—WHO reports that a 21 year old young man with no underlying conditions suddenly died of #avianflu in Vietnam. He started with a cough/fever, but died 12 days later with severe pneumonia and ARDS. ➡️He had only gone bird hunting recently. BE CAREFUL.

2) "From 2003 to 25 March 2024, a total of 888 worldwide human cases of influenza A(H5N1), 463 deaths (52% CFR), reported to WHO from 23 countries. Almost all cases of human infection with avian influenza A(H5N1) linked to close contact with infected live or dead birds, or contaminated environments."
who.int/emergencies/di…

3) It is interesting that WHO had to point out he had no contact with any sick or dead birds. Only hunting. And he had gone bird hunting the prior month in Feb 2024. And no other contact with people since. The latency period seems rather long.

4) 3-4 weeks lag time from exposure to a bird and getting sick? That’s VERY long. Other possible explanation is he was exposed and infected asymptomatically by someone else after bird hunt. But asymptomatic spread would be also VERY VERY BAD. Both explanations bad.

5) Avian flu outbreaks among birds now number over 1100 in the U.S. alone across 48 states. Basically be cautious around any birds that you encounter for the near future. Because 50% mortality is no joke. If a young healthy 21 year old can succumb, we need to be vigilant.

6) Also pro tip— do not touch your eyes without washing your hands. You never know what you may have touched. Avian flu can directly infect human eyes easier without any unusual mutations. Because humans have same sugar-receptor complexes in our eyes 👀 as birds 🦅

7) There is a new mutation recently that has been discovered in the Texas man’s avian flu case. While the mutation has been seen before, it’s new in this avian flu lineage. And it makes mammal infection more efficient.

8) Besides eating cat food and chasing mice… do you know what cats love? Chasing birds. Just be careful