What's happening?

Bird flu is on the rise. In the last year, UK scientists found 161 cases among captiveSomeone or something who is kept in a certain space by a person or group. birds. The year before, there were just 26 cases. 

Wild birds and captive birds can both get bird flu. And in south-west England, there has been one case of a human getting bird flu. 

VirusesVery small organisms that cause infections and illnesses. can cross from animals to humans. This is how Covid-19The official scientific name for the type of coronavirus that swept the world from March 2020. likely began, although scientists do not know for sure which animal passed the diseaseAn illness or sickness. to humans. 

Now, they are on the lookout for the next big illness that could cross from animals to humans. Today, humans live closer together than ever before, in big cities and towns. And animals have less space in the wild and spend more time in cities. 

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Many scientists think this means there is a bigger chance of an illness spreading. It could make new pandemics more likely than before. 

Is this how the "next Covid" begins?

Yes! An illness will take off among a group of animals that humans spend a lot of time with - like birds. Then it will pass over to us. 

No! Many illnesses exist for a long time without spreading to humans. Not every illness is the next Covid-19.