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... WHY IT MATTERS

The first case of the H5N1 virus, known as bird flu, in the U.S. was reported earlier this month after a patient had been exposed to sick and dead birds. The case was confirmed on December 13, and the agency stressed that previous cases have typically been mild.

However, concerns remain high after novel coronavirus pandemic, so the CDC has been carefully tracking and announcing new mutations discovered in the virus.

One such mutation may have occurred after the patient contracted the virus, the agency said in an update after Christmas. ...

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... How Likely Is It that Bird Flu Will Turn into a Pandemic?

Health officials determined the most recent mutation of the bird flu has potential to more easily transmit between humans, but such transmission has not yet happened.

"The changes observed were likely generated by replication of this virus in the patient with advanced disease rather than primarily transmitted at the time of infection," the CDC said this week.

While the CDC remains "concerned" about the development, officials have said that the mutation would be more concerning if they determined it had developed in birds and wildlife that could spread it more easily.

Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota, told CNN on Friday that he believes the U.S. Department of Agriculture "dropped the ball" on bird flu, speculating that they likely hoped it would burn out and not spread much. ...