A particular strain of bird flu that has been cropping up among wild birds, livestock, and even pets like dogs and cats is raising the specter of a public health response.
Researchers and officials are assessing the robustness of existing testing infrastructure. The ability of the virus to cross between different species and the particular vulnerability of workers in the poultry industry has prompted a review of what can be done to prevent widespread transmission.
As previously relayed by The Dallas Express, a recent study found that bird flu viruses can linger on hard surfaces for hours, leaving people and animals more vulnerable than previously thought.
For its part, the Lone Star State briefly became ground zero for human cases of bird flu earlier this year due to the state’s large ranching industry — see the DX report.
In any case, here’s some of what Fox News reported on the country’s testing infrastructure:
Several people have tested positive for bird flu in the U.S., raising questions about the availability of tests in the event of a potential outbreak.
As of July 11, the H5N1 virus has affected more than 99 million poultry (in all 50 states), more than 9,500 wild birds (in 48 states) and more than 145 dairy herds (in 12 states), according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Five human cases have been reported since 2022, including a farm worker infected in Colorado and dairy workers ill in Texas and Michigan.
As of June 28, only 53 people have been tested for the virus associated with the dairy cow outbreak, according to the CDC.
At this point, only governmental health departments are providing H5N1 avian influenza testing, according to Edward Liu, M.D., chief of infectious diseases at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center.
“However, the CDC is taking steps to ramp up the nation’s capacity to test for the flu virus, asking private companies to develop and increase the number and types of tests that can effectively detect H5N1 infections in people,” Liu told Fox News Digital via email.