Dylan George

Bird flu almost killed this teen. It’s a cautionary tale for Trump officials. The case of the Canadian teen and the death of a Louisiana man are stark reminders of bird flu’s capacity to ignite serious illness.

From Lena Sun at @washingtonpost.com.

‘Bird flu almost killed this13-year-old girl. “You can only survive if you’re that sick in a modern pediatric ICU,” one doctor said. This is what doctors and public health experts fear if H5N1 evolves into a pandemic.’

The "Miracle" of the Polio Vaccine | Think Global Health Polio expert Walter Orenstein speaks about the important legacy of the polio vaccine following efforts to undermine it

Walter Orenstein on miracles:

www.thinkglobalhealth.org/article/mira...

"I was 7 years old in 1955 when the Salk polio vaccine became available. I was a real anti-vaxxer, not wanting a shot for something I knew nothing about. My mother said to me, 'Better you should cry, than I should cry.'"

The CDC confirmed the H5N1 bird flu case in a child in San Francisco, stating that the exposure source is "unknown".

A total of 67 cases and one death have been reported in the US since 2024.

Not good news: @who.int just announced a new Marburg outbreak in Tanzania.

“As of 11 January 2025, nine suspected cases were reported including eight deaths across two districts – Biharamulo and Muleba. … Results are pending official confirmation.”
🧪 #IDsky

www.who.int/emergencies/...

#ICYMI: CFA partnered with @ClemsonUniv and @SCDeptofHealth to optimize healthcare resources in South Carolina's rural communities. Together, we’re ensuring these communities are protected for the next infectious disease threat! check it out: www.clemson.edu/cbshs/phmr/i...

Behind the Model: How Disease Modeling Supported Decision-Making in a Local Measles Outbreak Response CFA and NCIRD supported the Chicago/Illinois Departments of Public Health during a measles outbreak.

In 2024, CFA’s #datascience helped @ChiPublicHealth stop a measles outbreak! 📊 We predicted the spread and guided resource allocation for vaccines & contact tracing. Data-driven decisions empower local health leaders to stop outbreaks with precision! 🔍 Learn more: bit.ly/3ZVluDt

San Fransisco Dept of Public Health reports finding an #H5N1 #birdflu case in a child with no clear link to exposure to the virus. The #CDC still must confirm the positive test.
Child had mild illness, has recovered. www.sf.gov/news/presump...

Continuing surveillance of emerging disease threats is vital for public health, national security “Basic public health protections help augment our national security protections,” particularly when it comes to emerging disease threats, write Scott Gottlieb and Mark B. McClellan.

My essay today in @statnews.com on the national security imperative for maintaining robust disease surveillance tools.
(with Dr. Mark McClellan)

Notes from the Field: Human Parvovirus B19 Infections .. This report describes an increase in the frequency of ..

Recently CFA worked w/@UMNews & @MNhealth to identify risks for pregnant mothers nationwide! Using NLP on EHRs, we detected an uptick in Parvovirus B19, a virus that can harm pregnant women. CDC quickly alerted public health authorities to warn care providers nationwide. 💡 Learn more: bit.ly/4ghVfN3

Suppose a new flu pandemic were to emerge. How quickly could we get going with key epidemiological analysis and modelling?

To find out, I went back through the dozens of reports I was involved in for SPI-M for COVID and estimated where we currently stand: epiverse-trace.github.io/posts/covid-...

U.S. records first fatal bird flu case amid growing concerns about virus The U.S. has recorded its first fatal case of H5N1 bird flu, in a person from Louisiana who contracted the virus from infected chickens and wild birds in a backyard flock.

#Breaking: U.S. records first fatal bird flu case amid growing concerns about virus

First U.S. bird flu death reported in Louisiana patient, officials say The patient, who was older than 65 and had underlying medical conditions, was hospitalized Dec. 18 in critical condition with severe respiratory illness.

The first H5N1 avian influenza death has been reported in the United States, @lenasun.bsky.social reports.

This is the major novel infectious disease threat the incoming Trump administration faces www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

U.S. records first fatal bird flu case amid growing concerns about virus The U.S. has recorded its first fatal case of H5N1 bird flu, in a person from Louisiana who contracted the virus from infected chickens and wild birds in a backyard flock.

If people continue to be infected with #H5N1 #birdflu, some will die. One has: the person in Louisiana who was infected by poultry and/or wild birds in a backyard flock.
Developing story.
www.statnews.com/2025/01/06/b...

Detection of Real-Time Changes in Direction of COVID-19 .. This report describes trend categories and nowcasting that ..

🌟 Proud of CFA in 2024! We collaborated with @NMHealth by analyzing national epidemic trends & comparing with state-level COVID-19 data. We empowered local health departments with better tools for outbreak response. Our work strengthens public health, one state at a time! bit.ly/4goGvwg

I’m coming up on @cnbc.com where I’ll be discussing H5N1 bird flu. This remains a low probability risk but a potentially high impact event we have to take more steps to help mitigate. This includes broadening range of anti viral drugs in the stockpile and developing vaccines specific for this strain

Our history is a battle against the microbes: we lost terribly before science, public health, and vaccines allowed us to protect ourselves For most of our history, we were losing terribly against the microbes. Only recently did we turn the battle in our favor. Vaccines were a major breakthrough.

A useful reminder of the impact of vaccination and public health. Our world in data provides a useful article and charts

ourworldindata.org/microbes-bat...

Infections of bacteria causing violent coughing fits is rising in Kansas TOPEKA (KSNT) – Kansas health officials are monitoring a spike in whooping cough cases around the state this year, marking one of the biggest increases in case numbers in nearly a decade. 27 …

“Kansas health officials are monitoring a spike in whooping cough cases around the state this year, marking one of the biggest increases in case numbers in nearly a decade.”

CDC says H5N1 bird flu sample shows mutations that may help the virus bind to cells in the upper airways of people The CDC said Thursday that the mutations, detected in a sample taken from a Louisiana patient, may help bind the virus to the upper airways in people.

Genetic sequences of H5N1 bird flu viruses collected from a person in Louisiana who became severely ill show signs of development of several mutations thought to affect the virus’ ability to attach to cells in the upper airways of humans.

WHO declares Rwanda’s Marburg virus outbreak over.

65 cases and 15 deaths were reported.

Flu forecasts this week! Our model thinks the peak is about 2 weeks out or so, but very uncertain. Right now it thinks that this season is most likely to be smaller than last year, largely because of the comparatively slow start most states have had. Hope it’s right! #episky #medsky

CDC confirms first known severe case of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. The U.S. has confirmed its first known severe human infection of H5N1 bird flu, in a person in Louisiana.

#CDC has confirmed an #H5N1 #birdflu case in Louisiana, in a person believed to have been infected through contact with infected birds in a backyard flock. This person is seriously ill, the first such case recorded in the US. Similarities to the recent BC case. www.statnews.com/2024/12/18/h...

CDC just confirmed the first severe case of #H5N1 in the US in a patient in Louisiana. This virus seems to be the same genotype D1.1 that is spreading in birds at the moment (so not the cattle genotype B3.13) that severely sickened the teenager in Canada. #IDsky 🧪

A National Weather Service for disease? Can Insight Net help the CDC predict the ebb and flow of infectious disease the way meteorologists predict the weather?

In 2024, CFA proudly supported state & local health departments with data-driven solutions. A highlight: @Northeastern & @MassDPH created a model predicting hospital admissions ~3 weeks ahead, giving more time for hospitals to keep people safe! Learn more: bit.ly/3DlnPih #datainaction #CFA

#USDA confirmed another 8 #H5N1 #birdflu infected herds in California. The state's total is 638 since the first detections in late Aug; 43 herds had cleared quarantine as of 12/13, per the Dept of Food & Ag.
National total: 853 herds in 16 states. www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-po...

Here's the visual proof of why vaccines do more good than harm See year by year how vaccines beat back nine dangerous infectious diseases

Sadly, it’s a good time to once again share this amazing infographic that we ran at @science.org more than 7 years ago
🧪 #IDsky
www.science.org/content/arti...

🌟 Grateful to be part of an incredible team with amazing partners shaping the future of public health!

We’re building a National Weather Service for Infectious Diseases, empowering communities with real-time insights to predict and prevent outbreaks. 🚀💡

harvardpublichealth.org/policy-pract...