Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr, against backdrop of bird flu virus, could be tested by a new pandemic. (Photo: NYI collage)
Donald Trump, who mismanaged the COVID-19 pandemic in his first term, could be facing a major, new, national health threat.
The H5N1 bird flu, which devastated the poultry industry, causing shortages and egg prices to skyrocket, has turned up in dairy cows and jumped from there to at least nine farm workers.
A teenager in British Columbia, Canada, is in critical condition after being exposed to H5N1 bird flu. The teen is the first presumptive case of H5N1 bird flu in Canada, The Los Angeles Times reported yesterday.
No human vaccine currently exists, leaving the general population vulnerable to an outbreak.
But with anti-vax advocate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. calling the shots on Trump’s health policy as the new Secretary of Health and Human Services, it may be difficult this time around to quickly roll out a vaccine.
At the moment the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers the public health risk to be low.
That could change if the virus evolves to spread person-to-person — a shift that would trigger worldwide alarm, according to a University of Southern California (USC) statement.
“With evidence the H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, is capable of jumping to humans, the public health risk has escalated,” says Richard Dang, a USC assistant professor of clinical pharmacy.
Some farm workers have come down with infections of the eye and pneumonia,” said Jeffrey Klausner, an infectious disease expert at USC’s Keck School of Medicine of USC.
Like COVID, the bird flu is more serious than traditional flu strains and can cause a range of infections. They include no symptoms or mild illness to severe diseases like pneumonia that can be deadly, according to The Cleveland Clinic.
Over the past two decades, 261 cases of human infection with avian influenza have been reported in five countries. Of these, 142 were fatal, resulting in a case fatality rate (CFR) of 54%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Related: rump Failures as President Glaringly Magnified by Pandemic
In contrast, the fatality rate for COVID ranged from 4.3% and 11% depending on the strain.
Drang says it will take careful monitoring, vaccinations, and other precautionary measures to “mitigate this emerging health threat before it turns into another pandemic.”
The CDC is using its flu surveillance systems to monitor for H5 bird flu activity in people.
“The most immediate impact is likely to be on your pocketbook,” according to USC experts on supply chain issues, grocery prices and pandemics.
Related: Trump Wins by Painting Himself in a Corner With Promises He Can’t Keep
“This outbreak isn’t just a health issue; it’s poised to disrupt supply chains, particularly in the poultry industry, leading to higher prices and possible shortages of poultry products,” said Associate Professor Nick Vyas, founding director of USC’s Randall R. Kendrick Global Supply Chain Institute.
“We’ve seen how these situations can escalate. In 2022, a similar outbreak led to skyrocketing egg prices and substantial losses as millions of birds were culled.
“Trade restrictions kicked in, and consumer confidence took a hit, impacting exports and the broader economy,” he said.
The rising price of eggs became a campaign issue in the presidental election after Trump falsely attributed the trend to President Biden’s economic policies.
Anti-Vaxers Dying Horrid Deaths in a Vortex of Their Own COVID-19 Lies, Disbelief
Already steeped in disinformation and COVID-19 denial, Trump’s response to latest pandemic threat could determine whether the nation goes through another health crisis and economic meltdown.
The 2015 H5N1 outbreak was even more devastating than the recent outbreak. More than 50 million turkeys, chickens and egg-laying hens were slaughtered to stop its spread.
Taxpayers had to step in last year with over $500 million to prop up poultry producers affected by the virus.
“What’s particularly worrying this time is that H5N1 isn’t just affecting poultry – it’s hitting dairy cattle, too,” says Vyas.
Whatever the case, the Trump administration will face rising prices, undercutting Trump’s promise to roll back prices and tame inflation.
Outbreaks disrupt supply chains reducing the overall supply of related goods and driving up consumer prices, said Somya Singhvi, an assistant professor of data sciences and operations at the USC Marshall School of Business.
“Additionally, studies highlight that supply shocks in the agribusiness sector can shift consumer demand toward substitute products, such as plant-based proteins, potentially increasing their prices.
“Overall, the outbreak could create a ripple effect across various food categories, leading to broader inflation in grocery prices.”
The state of California and CDC are currently monitoring the outbreak and providing ongoing regular updates to doctors and the general public.