For how we live.
A diagnostic study reports all 12 cat tissues and 11 of 15 rat tissues tested positive, with the highest viral loads in the brain — evidence small mammals may carry avian influenza.
The honest position is two things at once: the current risk to the general public is low, and the reason it is watched so closely is that its worst-case potential is high. The gap between the two is the whole story.
An 8-year-old boy had brain inflammation with no respiratory symptoms. Every respiratory, blood and rectal sample tested negative; the virus was in his cerebrospinal fluid alone.
A Washington State adult died on 21 November after infection with an avian influenza subtype never before found in a person. Contact tracing found no onward spread. Europe is having a record autumn bird season.
WHO has logged 11 laboratory-confirmed human A(H5N1) infections in Cambodia between 1 January and 1 July, including six deaths. Every case had handled or culled sick poultry.