Time left 0:13:01 The bird flu recently gained attention worldwide as an illness that was virulent if transmitted from a bird to a human. Great concern was expressed that this virus would mutate and be able to pass directly from person to person instead. What were epidemiologists most worried about? Select one: a. Thutethe virus would spread among humans and become an endemic disease. b. That the virus would harm the poultry industry. c. That the virus would spread among humans and become a pandemic. d. That the virus would spread among humans and become an epidemic in \( T \) urkey.

Epidemiologists were most worried about the potential for the bird flu virus to mutate, enabling it to spread easily between humans. This concern stems from the historical context of past pandemics, such as the 1918 influenza outbreak. If the virus found a way to pass from person to person, it could become a pandemic, leading to widespread illness and potentially overwhelming healthcare systems globally. On the practical side, public health officials focus on surveillance and vaccination strategies to mitigate risks associated with such viruses. Enhanced biosecurity measures in poultry farms and rapid response protocols for any human cases are critical to prevent outbreaks from escalating. Keeping the virus contained in birds minimizes the risk of it jumping to humans and changing from a regional threat to a global one!