In a recent interview with NewsNation, the former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Robert Redfield, expressed his concerns about the looming threat of a bird flu pandemic. Redfield emphasized that it is not a matter of if, but when, such a pandemic will occur.

Redfield's warning comes after the World Health Organization reported the first human death from bird flu in Mexico. Furthermore, the virus has been detected in cattle across the United States, adding to the urgency of the situation.

When comparing the mortality rates of bird flu to COVID-19, Redfield underscored the potentially devastating impact of a bird flu pandemic. While COVID-19 has a mortality rate of 0.6 percent, Redfield estimated that bird flu could have a mortality rate ranging between 25 and 50 percent.

The CDC has been closely monitoring the spread of bird flu and recently discovered three cases since March, all of which were unrelated and found in farmworkers. Symptoms included a cough and pink eye.

Researchers have identified that a few key amino acids need to change their receptor to enable bird flu to attach to the human receptor, allowing for human-to-human transmission similar to that of COVID-19. Redfield stressed that once the virus gains this ability, a full-blown pandemic is likely to occur.

While it remains uncertain how long it will take for these necessary changes to occur, Redfield expressed concern about the virus being detected in cattle across multiple states. Over 40 cattle herds have been found to carry the virus, prompting the CDC to closely monitor wastewater treatment sites to determine the virus's location. However, the current risk to the public is considered low.

In addition to natural transmission pathways, Redfield also highlighted the possibility of the virus being deliberately grown in a laboratory. He explained that the recipe for making bird flu highly infectious for humans was published by scientists in 2012 against his recommendation.

In conclusion, as the threat of bird flu looms over the world, the warning from Robert Redfield serves as a reminder of the potential severity and higher mortality rate associated with the virus compared to COVID-19. Vigilant monitoring and preparedness measures remain integral in mitigating the risks associated with a future bird flu pandemic.