AXIOS February 3, 2025
Dozens of newly confirmed cases of avian influenza in wild birds and the first verified U.S. case of a new strain of the virus are raising concern the bird flu crisis may be entering a troubling new phase.
Why it matters: While the developments don’t necessarily raise the risk of a pandemic, they could create more havoc for farmers, exacerbate egg shortages and expose more gaps in government disease surveillance.
- The outbreak is intensifying as the Trump administration maintains a pause on most external federal health agency communications, including publication of CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), a venerable source of scientific reports on public health.
Driving the news: The Department of Agriculture last week confirmed 81...