US health officials are putting more than US$100 million toward ramping up surveillance of bird flu in cattle and people amid rising concerns that the outbreak has spread more widely than reported.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will use the funding to detect and track the virus, called H5N1, that’s been spreading in wild birds, poultry and domestic cows, according to a statement Friday last week.
Scrutiny of the CDC’s response to health crises has risen after widespread criticism for inadequate early testing for emerging health threats such as COVID and the mpox virus. While just one H5N1 infection has been recorded in a person in the US so far, scientists have cautioned that virus has the potential to mutate into something far more transmissible and dangerous.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
The CDC will use US$34 million to test for and analyze viral sequences, while another US$29 million will be dedicated to tracing and monitoring people who may have come into contact with the virus. Other funds will be used to study vaccine candidates and wastewater sites. The CDC is also distributing protective equipment to farm workers, prioritizing those with infected herds.
Observation of the virus has been spotty. Some dairy farms have hesitated to invite the CDC for surveillance, facing a potential financial impact if sick cows are found. Migrant workers who staff farms are leery of government officials, fearing job loss if they show signs of exposure to the virus. No states have invited the CDC to test, which has created blind spots in understanding the scope of the outbreak.
The CDC maintains that the risk to humans is low. However, six new farms reported infected cattle last week — up from the earlier count of 36 farms in nine states — prompting concern over the virus’s spread.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
The Department of Agriculture is making funding available to dairy farms dealing with cattle outbreaks, including financial incentives to distribute protective equipment. Farms could receive up to US$28,000 each over the next 120 days, including reimbursements for veterinarian costs and testing, if they help increase herd surveillance.
The FDA will dedicate an additional US$8 million to support milk supply surveillance and pasteurization. One in five milk samples contains fragments of the avian flu virus, the agency said in April, but pasteurization kills it.
Tests for live virus in eggs have been negative, the FDA said. The agency said last week that it tested 297 retail dairy samples, and all were negative.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
(Bloomberg)
禽流感疫情可能比所報導的傳播更廣，此擔憂越發引起關注，美國衛生部門因此將投入超過1億美元，來加強監測牛隻與人感染禽流感的狀況。
根據上週五的聲明，美國疾病管制與預防中心（CDC）和食品藥物管理局（FDA）將利用這些資金來檢測及追蹤這種名為H5N1的病毒，該病毒已持續在野生鳥類、家禽和家牛中傳播。
Photo: AP 照片：美聯社
美國CDC對健康危機的反應被放大檢視，因其對 COVID病毒與猴痘病毒等新興健康威脅未能及早充分檢測而廣受批評。雖然受H5N1病毒感染的人目前只有美國一例，但科學家警告說，H5N1有可能突變為更具傳染性和危險性的病毒。
美國CDC將用3,400萬美元來測試及分析病毒序列，另以2,900萬美元專門用於追蹤與監測可能接觸過該病毒的人。其餘資金將用於研究候選疫苗和廢水處理場。CDC也發放防護設備給農場工人，需接觸受感染牛群者為優先對象。
對病毒的觀察並不順利。一些乳牛場對於請CDC前來監測有所疑慮，因為若發現有乳牛患病，將可能面臨財務衝擊。在農場工作的移工對政府官員持懷疑態度，擔心若有感染病毒的跡象，他們就會失業。沒有任何州邀請CDC進行檢測，這在了解疫情範圍上造成了盲點。
CDC堅持認為，人類感染該病毒的風險很低。然而，上週新發現6個農場有牛隻受感染——高於之前9個州36個農場的數量——引發了民眾對病毒擴散的擔憂。
美國農業部正提供資金給面對牛群疫情的乳牛場，包括發放防護設備的經濟誘因。如果農場協助加強牛群監控，那麼在接下來的120天內，每個農場最多可得到28,000美元，包括獸醫費及檢測費的報銷。
FDA將額外投入800萬美元來補助牛奶供應監控與巴斯德殺菌法。FDA四月表示，五分之一的牛奶樣本含有禽流感病毒片段，但巴斯德殺菌法可將其消滅。
FDA表示，雞蛋中的活病毒檢測呈陰性。FDA上週表示，已檢測了297個零售乳製品樣本，結果均呈陰性。
（台北時報林俐凱編譯）
The chimney cake is a beloved treat with a rich history in Hungary and Romania. While written references to the cake appeared as early as the late 17th century, the earliest known recipe from 1784 is __1__ a noblewoman named Maria Mikes, who wrote about dough wrapped around a spit. Legend has it, however, that the existence of this delicacy actually goes much further back in time, to the Mongol invasion of the 13th century. The cake’s iconic hollow, cylindrical shape, which is reminiscent of a chimney, is achieved by wrapping yeast dough around a wooden spit and roasting
A: I remember that the late pop diva Whitney Houston’s 1985 debut album “Whitney Houston” is a diamond album, meaning it sold over 10 million units in the US. B: Her 1987 album “Whitney” and 1992 soundtrack “The Bodyguard” have also reached diamond status, making her the only black singer with three diamond albums. A: Many people think that her songs are difficult to sing. B: I challenge you to sing her megahit “I Will Always Love You” at tonight’s karaoke party. A: OK, challenge accepted. A: 我記得流行天后惠妮休斯頓的1985年出道專輯《惠妮休斯頓》還是一張鑽石唱片呢，表示在美國狂賣超過1千萬張。 B: 她1987年的次張專輯《惠妮》、1992年的電影《終極保鑣》原聲帶也獲得鑽石唱片認證，使她成為唯一擁有3張鑽石唱片的黑人歌手！ A: 而許多人覺得她的歌都很難唱。 B: 那我挑戰你在今晚的KTV派對唱她的名曲《我將永遠愛你》。 A: 好啊我接受你的挑戰。 （By Eddy
A: Any plans for Valentine’s Day tomorrow? B: I’ll go to karaoke with a group of fans to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the late pop diva Whitney Houston’s debut. A: Sounds like fun. B: She released her eponymous album “Whitney Houston” on Feb. 14, 1985, launching a glorious career that spanned over four decades. A: Can I join you for karaoke? A: 明天情人節你要幹嘛？ B: 我要和一群歌迷去KTV，慶祝流行天后惠妮休斯頓出道40週年！ A: 哇好像很好玩。 B: 她在1985年2月14日發行同名專輯《惠妮休斯頓》，並開啟了輝煌的40年演藝生涯。 A: 我能跟你一起去KTV嗎？ （By Eddy Chang, Taipei Times／台北時報張聖恩）
In early September 2024, Time magazine released its list of the “100 Most Influential People in AI 2024,” and among the prominent figures are three Taiwanese entrepreneurs. Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) Chairman and CEO C.C. Wei, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, and Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (AMD) Chair and CEO Lisa Su were each featured. The list, divided into four categories—Leaders, Innovators, Shapers, and Thinkers—highlights what sets these individuals apart from their peers in the field of artificial intelligence. Both Wei and Huang were placed in the Leaders category, joining the heads of Google, OpenAI, Meta, and Microsoft. Wei
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