CDC Expands Bird Flu Testing Amid Ongoing Human Infections

The CDC advises testing hospitalized flu patients for bird flu within 24 hours to prevent delays in identifying human infections. While the public risk remains low, nearly 70 Americans have contracted bird flu. The USDA has deployed over 300 personnel and spent $1.5 billion on containment efforts.

In an effort to address ongoing human infections, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) instructed healthcare providers to test flu patients for bird flu within 24 hours of hospitalization. This guidance aims to quickly identify avian influenza A (H5N1) amid heightened seasonal flu activity.

Though the CDC asserts the public faces minimal risk from bird flu, approximately 70 Americans, mainly farmworkers, have fallen ill since April. Most cases have been mild, but a recent fatality in Louisiana underscores the virus's potential threat. The USDA is actively working to contain outbreaks in poultry and dairy livestock.

Eric Deeble of the USDA highlighted the deployment of more than 300 personnel and $1.5 billion in funds to combat the virus's spread. Concurrently, the CDC plans to bolster a bird flu vaccine stockpile, emphasizing the importance of swift action for public health safety.

(With inputs from agencies.)