Scientists say USDA is sharing too little data too slowly on H5N1 flu
by CNN
CNN— When the US Department of Agriculture announced late Sunday that it had publicly posted new data from its investigation into a bird flu outbreak in cattle, scientists eagerly searched a well-known platform used globally to share the genetic sequences of viruses. The sequences weren’t there. As of Tuesday morning, they still aren’t. Researchers looking to track the evolution and spread of H5N1 say the information that was posted — raw data on a US server — isn’t very useful and is anything but...
CNN—H5N1 bird flu was circulating in dairy cows for four months before it was detected, USDA scientists say. Bird flu was probably circulating in dairy cows for at least four months before it was confirmed to be the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, according to a new analysis of genomic data by scientists at the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Center. The research also found infected cattle that had no apparent connections, suggesting that “there are affected herds that have not yet been identified,” the study said. It adds to a growing pile of evidence suggesting that the H5N1 virus had a...
STAT—Tracking bird flu virus changes in cows is stymied by missing data, scientists say. Scientists are frustrated that the USDA again failed to include basic information about H5N1 genetic sequences from cows when the data were released this week.
Fast Company—H5N1 bird flu virus outbreaks: USDA starts testing ground beef. The U.S. government said on Monday it is collecting samples of ground beef at retail stores in states with outbreaks of bird flu in dairy cows for testing but remains confident the meat supply is safe. Federal officials are seeking to verify the safety of milk and meat after confirming the H5N1 virus in 34 dairy cattle herds in nine states since late March, and in one person in Texas. Both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have said the...