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The United States must strengthen its measures to control the outbreak of bird flu in the country and to contain the growing risk that the virus spreads more easily between people, warned international health experts.
Scientists have demanded increased vaccination of land workers and more efforts to contain the spread of the H5N1 pathogen among farm animals continues to infect Cattle and chickens across the country.
The epidemic is an early test for the government of President Donald Trump, which is already the case Return obligations contribute to the global efforts to combat disease and prevention.
“It is probably grossly irresponsible that the US authorities allow such a persistently high virus transmission in dairy cows, as this is such a great threat to human health worldwide,” said Professor James Wood, expert for infectious diseases at the British University of Cambridge.
He added that restrictions, such as a stricter transfer of cattle, “would reduce the exposure of humans enormously and to be expected in any other country”.
Experts observe with growing concern that H5N1 has been in circulation in the United States for more than nine months. The outbreak led to this 67 confirmed cases in humansAccording to the US centers for the control and prevention of diseases, especially in people who work with cattle and chickens.
The First death was reported this month, although no cases of a transfer from person to person have been documented.
Virologists fear a reorganization of the heritage of the H5N1 guide with another animal or human flu virus, which creates a new virus that can be transferred between people with greater probability. The probability of this scenario increases because H5N1 circulates in the USA during the winter flu season.
There were estimated 12 to 22 million Flu cases in humans According to CDC between October 1 and January 11th. On January 16, the hospitals asked to analyze within 24 hours, whether The flu neat actually fell ill with bird fluEspecially when the patients were in the intensive care unit. The CDC said in November Flu vaccine for humans to agricultural workers in 12 states.
She thought the risk of H5N1 was low for the public, but added that she “carefully observed this dynamic situation”.
The world organization for animal health, the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization have stated that governments should increase several measures to combat the spread of bird flu. This includes strengthening virust tests, sequencing and data exchange, the improvement of organic security in agricultural companies and the protection of people who were exposed to infected animals, said Maria van Kerkhove, a high-ranking WHO officer.
“It can and should be done to reduce the spread of bird flu in animals, between different animal species and on humans,” said van Kerkhove, acting director of pandemic provision.
The WHO also encouraged pharmaceutical companies to develop more animal vaccines that can be used widely to reduce the spread of bird flu, added van Kerkhove.
The three leading manufacturers of Bird flu vaccines For humans – CSL SEQirus, Sanofi and GSK – are well positioned to react when the outbreak becomes a pandemic. In October, the trio signed a $ 72 million agreement with the US government, which included commitments to prepare for a quick distribution of the doses and maintain the care.
On January 17, the US government donated $ 590 million to Moderna, which develops a flu vaccine that uses a messenger-based technology like its covid vaccination.
The SEQirus vaccination was ordered by many European governments, but Finland is the only country that has confirmed that it uses vaccines to vaccinate agricultural workers. The vaccine manufacturer said that the Nordic Land also conducts its own independent study on the security and effectiveness of the vaccine.
The response from the United States to the bird flu was made even more complicated by a “short break” of the Ministry of Health and Social .
The Trump administration initiated the break to “set up a process and prioritization process,” said the Ministry of Health.
Trump and his allies are critical of fundamental aspects of international epidemic fighting, while Robert F. Kennedy Jr., his candidate for the office of Minister of Health and Social Affairs, is a long-time vaccine.
One of Trump’s first measures after his inauguration was to initiate the one -year process for the United States’ leakage from the WHO. During his previous term in 2020, he took the same measures, but President Joe Biden raised the decision when he took office in January 2021.
Data visualization of Bob Haslett