Explainer: Why the latest bird flu case has experts worried about a potential pandemic

Why the latest bird flu case has experts worried about a potential pandemic A new potential case of bird flu in a California child without known contact with infected animals is raising concerns about a potential pandemic. Dr. Céline Gounder explains what to know. CBS News

Health officials are alarmed by 53 confirmed human cases of a bird flu variant across seven states this year, with a new potential case in a California child without known contact with infected animals.

CBS News medical contributor Dr. Céline Gounder, the editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, answered questions about why experts are worried about the possibility of human-to-human transmission. The answers below have been lightly edited for space and clarity.

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