USDA faulted for disclosing scant information about outbreaks of H5N1 avian flu in cattle Helen Branswell By Helen Branswell April 18, 2024

https://www.statnews.com/2024/04/18/h5n1-bird-flu-scientists-want-usda-genetic-data-faster/?utm_campaign=morning_rounds&utm_medium=email&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9cSiw6-44E8t8qXKzY_-dTdIwrOTBJWiWTw8CJSRgz0ILAjag-QtWkG2vnAhNRdqLdUcDgFJkLypuNNp9E584zxqWK0A&_hsmi=303358707&utm_content=303358707&utm_source=hs_email Nearly a month after announcing that milking cows in a Texas herd had tested positive for H5N1 avian flu, U.S. government agencies have been reluctant to share more information. They haven’t said what they know about whether pasteurization kills the virus, and only on Thursday did authorities tell STAT it seems the now 29 affected herds are not part of a single linked outbreak. This is causing challenges to other countries trying to understand their risk, writes Helen Branswell. “A country with capacity like the United States should be able to generate this information within days,” said Marion Koopmans, head of the department of viroscience at Erasmus Medical Center in the Dutch city of Rotterdam. “I would expect very fast, very transparent updates and it’s somewhat amazing not to see that happening.” The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which is leading the outbreak’s investigation, pushed back against the criticism, saying it is sharing information as it becomes available. But experts believe the delays and what is perceived as a lack of transparency may undermine trust in government agencies, evoking déjà vu from Covid-19 times. Read more.