20 big cats die from bird flu at Washington wildlife sanctuary
NBCJAN 4
Bird Flu Kills 20 Big Cats at Washington Wildlife Sanctuary
Above: Tiger lies down at Paradise Wildlife Park on Aug. 2, 2017. Image copyright: Unsplash
The Spin
Narrative A
These deaths are heartbreaking and a significant loss to the country. The devastating outbreak demonstrates the increasing threat of bird flu to various species. As no one knows how the animals were infected and the virus continues to mutate and spread beyond traditional avian hosts, the disease puts both wildlife and domestic animals at unprecedented risk.
Narrative B
While the outbreak is concerning, public health risk remains low as no human-to-human transmission has been reported in the US to date. Since most human cases of bird flu have so far resulted only in mild symptoms, we can be confident that there is no need to panic, as bird flu is still an animal health issue.
Metaculus Prediction
There's a 2% chance that there will be any reported human-to-human transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 globally before 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
