America's Battle Against Bird Flu: A $306 Million Plan

The U. S. is taking action against bird flu, with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) throwing $306 million at the problem. The goal is to improve disease tracking, testing, and safety measures. While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the risk to the public is low, the HHS is playing it safe by working with partners across the country to protect health and food safety. The funding comes after a big discovery: the first severely ill patient had virus mutations that could make it easier for the bird flu to bind to human cells. Since April, 66 human cases have been confirmed in the U. S. , with California leading the pack at 37 cases. Where's all that money going? The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) is handing out $183 million to various state and local programs. They're focusing on training, hospital readiness, and special pathogen centers. The CDC is putting $111 million towards monitoring the H5N1 spread, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is allocating $11 million for research into potential treatments.