Bird flu warning: Experts sound the alarm about an impending pandemic!

Bird flu warning: Experts sound the alarm about an impending pandemic!

In Germany, the alarming news about bird flu (H5N1) can no longer be ignored. Virologist Klaus Stöhr, former head of the WHO influenza program, urgently warns of the possible danger of a new pandemic. As he explained in an interview with the Mitteldeutsche Zeitung on October 28, 2025, the world is facing a threat that must be taken seriously, although the current risk of infection for people is assessed as extremely low. Stöhr calls for the development of new vaccines and the updating of global pandemic plans to prepare for future challenges and to improve monitoring of animal populations, as the virus is widespread in wild birds worldwide and this increases the possibility of transmission. RTL reports that ...

The situation has worsened seriously since the beginning of September 2025. In Germany there have already been 31 outbreaks in livestock farms, resulting in the culling of over 500,000 farm animals. In addition, many wild birds, especially cranes, are affected. Recently, the deaths of over 1,000 cranes in a bird sanctuary in Brandenburg were reported, further increasing concerns about the spread of the H5N1 virus. The virus spreads particularly in autumn, when birds are migrating in large numbers. Deutschlandfunk reports that ...

Safety precautions and consequences

There are also measures at the political level. Federal Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer (CSU) has called for increased precautions and coordinated action. An important focus is on safety measures in poultry farms. These must meet strict requirements, including protection and surveillance zones as well as disinfection measures to prevent contact between wild birds and farmed poultry. If infection is suspected, herds must be immediately isolated and quickly culled, resulting in animal herds being closed for 21 days following outbreaks.

However, the epidemiologists at the Friedrich Loeffler Institute also warn of an increased risk of infection for poultry farms due to bird migration. Although there is currently no significant risk of secondary spread between farms, experts urge caution. NABU has even asked the population not to touch dead or sick birds. If human-to-human transmission did occur, the consequences could be devastating, although this has not yet been observed.

Vaccinations and preventive measures

With regard to the H5N1 virus, a vaccine for high-risk groups is already available, but there are no plans for a national vaccination campaign in Germany. Experts consider the risk of a pandemic in humans to be low, especially because no H5N1 infections have been documented in humans in the EU in the last two decades. However, there remains concern that the virus could continue to spread and that people could also be affected at some point. Preventive measures such as monitoring wild birds and safety precautions in poultry farms are therefore extremely important.