Recently, a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, H5N1, has been spreading rampantly in chicken and cattle farms in the US, with reported cases of human-to-cow transmission.
As the H5N1 outbreak continues to escalate, US health officials have decided to invest over $100 million to enhance monitoring of avian influenza infections in both cattle and humans.
The US Department of Health to Invest $100 Million in Monitoring H5N1
Following widespread criticism of the US Department of Health for inadequate early detection of newly emerging viruses, the department has recently strengthened its monitoring of the virus.
While there has been only one case of human infection with the H5N1 virus in the US so far, scientists warn that this virus could mutate into a more infectious and dangerous strain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that over $100 million will be used to detect and track the H5N1 virus.
The CDC will use $34 million to test and analyze virus sequences, while an additional $29 million will be used to track and monitor individuals who may have come into contact with the virus. Other funds will be allocated for researching candidate vaccines and wastewater treatment sites. Meanwhile, the FDA is distributing protective gear to farm workers, prioritizing those who have had contact with infected cows.
The FDA is also allocating an additional $8 million to support monitoring of milk supplies and pasteurization. In April, the agency stated that one-fifth of milk samples in the US contained fragments of avian influenza virus, but pasteurization can kill the virus.
The FDA also reported that they have conducted active virus testing on 297 retail dairy product samples across the US, all of which tested negative.
At the same time, the US Department of Agriculture is providing funding for dairy farms to address the avian flu outbreak, including offering financial incentives for distributing protective equipment. Over the next 120 days, each farm can receive up to $28,000, including reimbursement for veterinary and testing costs.
Potential infected individuals reluctant to cooperate with monitoring
The CDC maintains that the threat of H5N1 to humans is low. However, concerns about virus transmission have been raised this week as six new cases of infected cattle were reported on farms in addition to the 36 farms in nine states that had previously reported infected cows.
Currently, the main challenge in monitoring the virus is the reluctance of potential infected individuals to cooperate: many dairy farms are hesitant to invite the CDC for monitoring as they could face potential financial impacts if infected cows are found. Additionally, farm workers are skeptical of government officials, fearing job loss if they show signs of virus exposure.
So far, no state in the US has actively invited the CDC for monitoring, making it difficult for the US healthcare sector to understand the specific scope of the outbreak.
As of this year, the CDC has only tested approximately 30 people for the H5N1 virus and monitored symptoms in 220 individuals.
CDC Director Mandy Cohen stated in an interview this week that the CDC is prepared to deploy epidemiological teams but is awaiting invitations from the states.
