US President Joe Biden’s outgoing administration said on Friday that it will allocate US$306 million to bolster the nation’s bird flu response before president-elect Donald Trump takes office.
The new funding will support national, state and local preparedness and monitoring programmes, as well as research into potential medical countermeasures against the H5N1 virus.
“While the risk to humans remains low, we are always preparing for any possible scenario that could arise,” Health Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement.
“Preparedness is the key to keeping Americans healthy and our country safe.”
While the virus has not been found to spread from person to person, the amount of bird flu circulating among animals and humans has alarmed scientists, because it might combine with seasonal influenza and mutate into a more transmissible form – potentially triggering a deadly pandemic.
The funding announcement comes amid concern over how the incoming Trump administration will handle the threat.
