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Is bird flu spreading in YOUR state? CDC launches new dashboard so you can track where H5N1 is rising in wastewater
The CDC today launched a new dashboard that could reveal whether bird flu is spreading in your area.
The dashboard draws on samples of wastewater that test positive for A-type flu viruses — like the H5N1 strain infecting cattle on US dairy farms.
The data is presented in map form and compares positive tests to the same time last year to look for upticks. Scientists say the upticks do not necessarily mean bird flu has jumped to humans because type A flus are 'common' in people and account for about 75 percent of all cases.
But it's hoped that over the coming months, the dashboard will signal where H5N1 is most prevalent because seasonal flu is normally low around this time of year.
The above map from the dashboard shows locations with wastewater testing for influenza A viruses in the latest week, up to May 4. There were high levels reported in Kansas, where cattle have also tested positive for the virus
The above maps show the locations that were reporting high levels of influenza over the latest two weeks that data is available
Over the two weeks of data available, one location in Kansas — a state that is recording an outbreak of the virus in cattle — showed upticks, for example.
Illinois and Florida are the other states seeing high levels of A-type flu.
Both states are not recording surges in flu levels overall, although there have been upticks detected in certain counties.
Experts say sudden upticks in local areas may be linked to late-season outbreaks or unusually cold weather, which can lead people to spend more time indoors — where flu is more likely to spread.
It can also be driven by more testing compared to the same period last year, they suggest, which leads to more cases being detected.
CDC officials say the dashboard cannot determine where the virus in wastewater is coming from, saying it may be from humans, animals or products like infected milk.
But the agency says tests will be run when upticks are detected to establish whether H5N1 is involved.
It comes after reports from veterinarians that a number of farmers on farms with infected cattle were sick but were not coming forward for testing.
Officials have also revealed they have had trouble encouraging farmers to get tested for the virus — amid concerns it could lead to repercussions for their farms.
There are concerns that bird flu viruses could spread from cattle to people (stock)
Last week the USDA said it would pay farms $28,000 each to allow officials on site to test cattle for bird flu, in an attempt to encourage more to come forward.
CDC wastewater team lead Amy Kirby told STAT that the testing had also been ordered after some sites detected unusual upticks in A-family flu viruses.
The increases were very site specific, she said, terming them a 'very limited phenomenon'.
Officials are testing for Influenza A viruses, a family of flu viruses that can infect both humans and animals. Others in this group include swine flu, or H1N1, and a type that can circulate in dogs and people, or H3N2.
They differ from Influenza B viruses, a family of these viruses that can only circulate between people.
The latest map, for the week from 30 April to 4 May, shows one location in Kansas had higher levels of influenza A virsues than normal.
For the previous week, three locations, including one in Florida and another in Illinois, also reported spikes — although neither have detected the virus in cattle.
The disease was also spotted at higher than average levels in parts of Texas during the previous week, including the Texas Panhandle — where infected cattle are based.
There are a total of 674 locations included in the map, although in the latest week only 230 reported wastewater data.
It comes amid the outbreak in cattle which has sickened 42 herds so far across more than nine states.
Some experts fear this is an underestimate, however, because many farmers are refusing to get their animals tested.