SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
A live poultry market is seen as New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has temporarily shut down poultry markets in New York City, Westchester, Nassau, and Suffolk counties, in New York, United States on February 07, 2025.
(Photo: Lokman Vural Elibol /Anadolu via Getty Images)
Amidst Cuts Impacting Bird Flu Response, Groups Demand Timely Release of CDC Updates
"New information and transmission countermeasures can and must be developed and shared as rapidly as the virus evolves," wrote the letter's authors.
Feb 25, 2025
A broad coalition of environmental, health, and animal groups is demanding greater transparency from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to disseminating information about H5N1, or bird flu, that has sickened hundreds of dairy cattle herds, killed millions of chickens, and also infected dozens of humans.
The Monday letter, which was signed by two staff members at the Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of a larger group that includes Earthjustice, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and others, was sent to CDC acting Director Susan Monarez.
"New information and transmission countermeasures can and must be developed and shared as rapidly as the virus evolves," according to the letter, which says that it has been over a month since the CDC issued a regular update about its bird flu response activity.
On the CDC's "News & Spotlight" page on the section of its website dedicated to bird flu, no update has been posted since January 17. Prior to that date, the page featured regular updates, such as a post about the agency's accomplishments related to curbing bird flu in 2024-25.
Also, the CDC "appears to have delayed or denied the publication of key scientific research on avian influenza in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, including a study suggesting that infected house cats may be transmitting [highly pathogenic avian influenza] to humans," according to the letter. The letter links to February 6 reporting from The New York Times, which says that the CDC briefly posted but then took down a report that discussed cases of potential human-to-cat and cat-to-human transmission of bird flu.
That report now appears online and was posted as part of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for February 20.
"This is exactly the kind of information that concerns the public and should have been shared broadly—not withheld—so that Americans could avoid this route of infection and researchers and public health officials could understand and defeat this virus," the letter states.
According to the authors of the letter, publicizing data about bird flu is crucial, especially given reports of federal personnel cuts potentially impacting the government's bird flu response. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it had sent termination letters to "several" staff working on the government's bird flu response, and that the agency was working to reverse the firings.
"The CDC should release to the public all information related to the avian influenza outbreak as soon as it is confirmed. This commitment to public transparency is essential to an effective, whole-of-society response to this growing disease threat," the letter concludes.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. If you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
A broad coalition of environmental, health, and animal groups is demanding greater transparency from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to disseminating information about H5N1, or bird flu, that has sickened hundreds of dairy cattle herds, killed millions of chickens, and also infected dozens of humans.
The Monday letter, which was signed by two staff members at the Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of a larger group that includes Earthjustice, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and others, was sent to CDC acting Director Susan Monarez.
"New information and transmission countermeasures can and must be developed and shared as rapidly as the virus evolves," according to the letter, which says that it has been over a month since the CDC issued a regular update about its bird flu response activity.
On the CDC's "News & Spotlight" page on the section of its website dedicated to bird flu, no update has been posted since January 17. Prior to that date, the page featured regular updates, such as a post about the agency's accomplishments related to curbing bird flu in 2024-25.
Also, the CDC "appears to have delayed or denied the publication of key scientific research on avian influenza in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, including a study suggesting that infected house cats may be transmitting [highly pathogenic avian influenza] to humans," according to the letter. The letter links to February 6 reporting from The New York Times, which says that the CDC briefly posted but then took down a report that discussed cases of potential human-to-cat and cat-to-human transmission of bird flu.
That report now appears online and was posted as part of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for February 20.
"This is exactly the kind of information that concerns the public and should have been shared broadly—not withheld—so that Americans could avoid this route of infection and researchers and public health officials could understand and defeat this virus," the letter states.
According to the authors of the letter, publicizing data about bird flu is crucial, especially given reports of federal personnel cuts potentially impacting the government's bird flu response. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it had sent termination letters to "several" staff working on the government's bird flu response, and that the agency was working to reverse the firings.
"The CDC should release to the public all information related to the avian influenza outbreak as soon as it is confirmed. This commitment to public transparency is essential to an effective, whole-of-society response to this growing disease threat," the letter concludes.
A broad coalition of environmental, health, and animal groups is demanding greater transparency from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when it comes to disseminating information about H5N1, or bird flu, that has sickened hundreds of dairy cattle herds, killed millions of chickens, and also infected dozens of humans.
The Monday letter, which was signed by two staff members at the Center for Biological Diversity on behalf of a larger group that includes Earthjustice, the Animal Legal Defense Fund, the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and others, was sent to CDC acting Director Susan Monarez.
"New information and transmission countermeasures can and must be developed and shared as rapidly as the virus evolves," according to the letter, which says that it has been over a month since the CDC issued a regular update about its bird flu response activity.
On the CDC's "News & Spotlight" page on the section of its website dedicated to bird flu, no update has been posted since January 17. Prior to that date, the page featured regular updates, such as a post about the agency's accomplishments related to curbing bird flu in 2024-25.
Also, the CDC "appears to have delayed or denied the publication of key scientific research on avian influenza in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, including a study suggesting that infected house cats may be transmitting [highly pathogenic avian influenza] to humans," according to the letter. The letter links to February 6 reporting from The New York Times, which says that the CDC briefly posted but then took down a report that discussed cases of potential human-to-cat and cat-to-human transmission of bird flu.
That report now appears online and was posted as part of the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for February 20.
"This is exactly the kind of information that concerns the public and should have been shared broadly—not withheld—so that Americans could avoid this route of infection and researchers and public health officials could understand and defeat this virus," the letter states.
According to the authors of the letter, publicizing data about bird flu is crucial, especially given reports of federal personnel cuts potentially impacting the government's bird flu response. Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it had sent termination letters to "several" staff working on the government's bird flu response, and that the agency was working to reverse the firings.
"The CDC should release to the public all information related to the avian influenza outbreak as soon as it is confirmed. This commitment to public transparency is essential to an effective, whole-of-society response to this growing disease threat," the letter concludes.
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.
To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good.
News & Opinion
Trending
Common Dreams, Inc. Founded 1997. Registered 501(c3) Non-Profit
Privacy Policy