The Trump administration's handling of the H5N1 bird flu outbreak faced scrutiny after frontline responders at the USDA were initially fired, only to have their terminations rescinded shortly after. This outbreak has severely affected U.S. poultry and dairy operations, leading to significant losses and escalating egg prices. Experts warn of the virus's potential to mutate for human transmission, emphasizing the importance of the federal response. The USDA implied commitment to addressing H5N1 despite the staff cuts, which remain unclear in terms of numbers and impact.
Prior to Trump taking office, health experts had criticized the country's response to H5N1 for lack of transparency, sluggishness, inadequate testing, and its inability to halt transmission among dairy farms.
The termination letters went out to employees at the US Department of Agriculture, which is leading the response to the ongoing H5N1 bird flu outbreak affecting over 160 million birds.
The USDA spokesperson stated that while some positions were protected from cuts, not all were exempted, resulting in the firing of critical staff.
Infectious disease experts fear the H5N1 virus could evolve to transmit among humans, posing risks of more severe disease, with documented 68 human cases and one fatality.
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