20-03-2025
Blumenthal pushes for Fed. government to restore health funding over bird flu concerns
HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) —U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal and the state department of public health are pushing to restore funding for federal health agencies amid concerns over recent bird flu cases.
It comes as the Trump Administration eliminates hundreds of jobs at the CDC, National Institutes of Health and more.
'The time to prevent a public health disaster is now,' Blumenthal said. 'Let's be very clear: the potential for an H5-N1 major outbreak in Connecticut and across the country is real and present – the disease is spreading.'
Bird flu detected in New Haven County
So far, there have been no outbreaks in commercial flocks in Connecticut, only backyard cases. Still, state health leaders are concerned about possible mutations.
Connecticut Department of Health Commissioner Dr. Manisha Juthani weighed in during Wednesday's news conference.
'We pride ourselves on being able to do the preparation – which we've been doing for over a year, for the potential threat of human infections,' Juthani said.
Senator Blumenthal told reporters the H7N9 virus is different from the H5N1 strand of bird flu and would be a potential threat to humans.
'Think about the human consequences of allowing Avian Flu to mutate and spread among human beings; the tremendous cost to society in monetary resources and human suffering,' said Blumenthal.
State health officials provided an update saying the threat level is low. 'That risk being low is where we want to keep it,' said Juthani.
Senator Blumenthal sent a letter to the Trump Administration urging for action, saying federal spending cuts are impacting researchers' ability to do their jobs ahead of a crisis.
'This nation is about as unready and unprepared as it was for COVID, which is a searing indictment of public health policy or lack of policy. Red states, blue states, they're all at risk. They all have poultry and livestock where outbreaks have occurred,' said Blumenthal.
News 8 reached out to the White House for comment. They have not gotten back to us yet.
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