Daniel Summers
@danielrsummers.bsky.social
International development professional focused on rights advocacy, civil society, and global health. Following emerging infectious disease threats.
H5N1 Dashboard: https://tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
H5N1 Dashboard: https://tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
Weekly H5N1 Bird Flu Update:
⚠️ Ongoing ILI/wastewater anomalies in the Bay Area
📉 Calling attention to steep decline in number of reported commercial poultry outbreaks, unclear if 'real' (similar decline in wild birds/mammals...)
💩 H5 WW detections in OR, CA, MD, and NJ
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
⚠️ Ongoing ILI/wastewater anomalies in the Bay Area
📉 Calling attention to steep decline in number of reported commercial poultry outbreaks, unclear if 'real' (similar decline in wild birds/mammals...)
💩 H5 WW detections in OR, CA, MD, and NJ
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
April 11, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Weekly H5N1 Bird Flu Update:
⚠️ Ongoing ILI/wastewater anomalies in the Bay Area
📉 Calling attention to steep decline in number of reported commercial poultry outbreaks, unclear if 'real' (similar decline in wild birds/mammals...)
💩 H5 WW detections in OR, CA, MD, and NJ
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
⚠️ Ongoing ILI/wastewater anomalies in the Bay Area
📉 Calling attention to steep decline in number of reported commercial poultry outbreaks, unclear if 'real' (similar decline in wild birds/mammals...)
💩 H5 WW detections in OR, CA, MD, and NJ
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
This is a major problem, I think can be addressed to some extent by necessarily 'short circuiting' the muted federal response. Have to start thinking outside the box to build local trust between allies and vulnerable workers, critical to filling these massive monitoring gaps.
During the 3 months before Trump took office, the CDC confirmed 24 cases. Since then, it’s reported 3.
“I am concerned that we are seeing a contraction in surveillance & not necessarily a contraction in the spread of the virus” said @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
“I am concerned that we are seeing a contraction in surveillance & not necessarily a contraction in the spread of the virus” said @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social kffhealthnews.org/news/article...
Trump’s Immigration Tactics Obstruct Efforts To Avert Bird Flu Pandemic, Researchers Say - KFF Health News
Preventing and detecting bird flu infections among farmworkers is a key defense against a potential pandemic. Immigration raids and threats have undermined these efforts, researchers say.
kffhealthnews.org
April 10, 2025 at 2:45 PM
This is a major problem, I think can be addressed to some extent by necessarily 'short circuiting' the muted federal response. Have to start thinking outside the box to build local trust between allies and vulnerable workers, critical to filling these massive monitoring gaps.
Following up here, unfortunately the patient died today, multiple organ failure consequent to H5N1 infection. Hospital is monitoring/testing all care providers who had contact:
April 8, 2025 at 6:27 PM
Following up here, unfortunately the patient died today, multiple organ failure consequent to H5N1 infection. Hospital is monitoring/testing all care providers who had contact:
The Mexican Ministry of Health announced the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in the country today, a three-year old girl infected with H5N1 in Durango, Mexico. Infection confirmed as HPAI H5N1 on April 1 by InDRE. Child is in serious condition, receiving oseltamivir, origin of infection unknown.
Secretaría de Salud informa la detección del primer caso humano de influenza aviar A (H5N1)
www.gob.mx
April 4, 2025 at 10:20 PM
The Mexican Ministry of Health announced the first human case of H5N1 bird flu in the country today, a three-year old girl infected with H5N1 in Durango, Mexico. Infection confirmed as HPAI H5N1 on April 1 by InDRE. Child is in serious condition, receiving oseltamivir, origin of infection unknown.
Finally have new CDC data up and a lot to cover (🧵 to follow):
💩 Lots of new H5 wastewater detections + new backdated entries
⚠️ More major influenza-like illness (ILI) / wastewater anomalies, where predicted ILI is much lower than actual
😷 Seasonal Flu A is declining
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
💩 Lots of new H5 wastewater detections + new backdated entries
⚠️ More major influenza-like illness (ILI) / wastewater anomalies, where predicted ILI is much lower than actual
😷 Seasonal Flu A is declining
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
April 4, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Finally have new CDC data up and a lot to cover (🧵 to follow):
💩 Lots of new H5 wastewater detections + new backdated entries
⚠️ More major influenza-like illness (ILI) / wastewater anomalies, where predicted ILI is much lower than actual
😷 Seasonal Flu A is declining
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
💩 Lots of new H5 wastewater detections + new backdated entries
⚠️ More major influenza-like illness (ILI) / wastewater anomalies, where predicted ILI is much lower than actual
😷 Seasonal Flu A is declining
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on Kofi! ❤️
I'm releasing a larger update later this afternoon now that we have new weekly CDC data, but if you like my work or want to help me continue tracking bird flu please consider donating at the link below!
ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
I'm releasing a larger update later this afternoon now that we have new weekly CDC data, but if you like my work or want to help me continue tracking bird flu please consider donating at the link below!
ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
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Become a supporter of Daniel Summers today!
ko-fi.com
April 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me on Kofi! ❤️
I'm releasing a larger update later this afternoon now that we have new weekly CDC data, but if you like my work or want to help me continue tracking bird flu please consider donating at the link below!
ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
I'm releasing a larger update later this afternoon now that we have new weekly CDC data, but if you like my work or want to help me continue tracking bird flu please consider donating at the link below!
ko-fi.com/danielrsummers
"[FDA] is suspending efforts to improve its bird flu testing of milk, cheese and pet food due to massive staff cuts at the agency... [it] would have served as a quality assurance program (similar to salmonella testing) to ensure reliable results in the FDA's testing of dairy products and pet food."
FDA suspends program to improve bird flu testing due to staff cuts
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is suspending efforts to improve its bird flu testing of milk, cheese and pet food due to massive staff cuts at the agency, according to an email seen by Reuters and a source familiar with the situation.
www.reuters.com
April 4, 2025 at 12:26 AM
"[FDA] is suspending efforts to improve its bird flu testing of milk, cheese and pet food due to massive staff cuts at the agency... [it] would have served as a quality assurance program (similar to salmonella testing) to ensure reliable results in the FDA's testing of dairy products and pet food."
Bird flu updates!
💩 Continued H5 wastewater detections in Newark, NJ (as of 3/31) + new detections in:
➜ Blue Earth Co., MN (3/28)
➜ Jackson Co., MI (3/27)
🐈 H5N1 infected cats identified in IA, IL, and PA (3/19 - 3/24)
🐔 2.1M poultry affected in Mar. (vs 12.6M in Feb.)
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
💩 Continued H5 wastewater detections in Newark, NJ (as of 3/31) + new detections in:
➜ Blue Earth Co., MN (3/28)
➜ Jackson Co., MI (3/27)
🐈 H5N1 infected cats identified in IA, IL, and PA (3/19 - 3/24)
🐔 2.1M poultry affected in Mar. (vs 12.6M in Feb.)
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
April 3, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Bird flu updates!
💩 Continued H5 wastewater detections in Newark, NJ (as of 3/31) + new detections in:
➜ Blue Earth Co., MN (3/28)
➜ Jackson Co., MI (3/27)
🐈 H5N1 infected cats identified in IA, IL, and PA (3/19 - 3/24)
🐔 2.1M poultry affected in Mar. (vs 12.6M in Feb.)
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
💩 Continued H5 wastewater detections in Newark, NJ (as of 3/31) + new detections in:
➜ Blue Earth Co., MN (3/28)
➜ Jackson Co., MI (3/27)
🐈 H5N1 infected cats identified in IA, IL, and PA (3/19 - 3/24)
🐔 2.1M poultry affected in Mar. (vs 12.6M in Feb.)
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Reposted by Daniel Summers
How will cuts at FDA impact U.S. response to bird flu?
We're told agency's top veterinarians overseeing contaminated pet food indeed laid off
And chief medical officer Dr Hilary Marston who had been overseeing MCMs for humans and agency response
www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-ma...
We're told agency's top veterinarians overseeing contaminated pet food indeed laid off
And chief medical officer Dr Hilary Marston who had been overseeing MCMs for humans and agency response
www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-ma...
April 2, 2025 at 1:12 AM
How will cuts at FDA impact U.S. response to bird flu?
We're told agency's top veterinarians overseeing contaminated pet food indeed laid off
And chief medical officer Dr Hilary Marston who had been overseeing MCMs for humans and agency response
www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-ma...
We're told agency's top veterinarians overseeing contaminated pet food indeed laid off
And chief medical officer Dr Hilary Marston who had been overseeing MCMs for humans and agency response
www.linkedin.com/in/hilary-ma...
Effectively eliminating NIOSH Respiratory Health and Health Effects divisions on the verge of what'll probably be one of the most catastrophic human pandemics in history.
New — Here is a running list of Dept. of Health and Human Services (HHS) offices that have either been fully eliminated or gutted into non-functionality as a result of today's mass firings (provided to me directly by a CDC staffer):
April 1, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Effectively eliminating NIOSH Respiratory Health and Health Effects divisions on the verge of what'll probably be one of the most catastrophic human pandemics in history.
Added some cool functionality to this 'H5N1 Animals' tab, I've scoured the internet documenting every known bird flu outbreak in livestock by county since 2024, and now you can contextualize these by date/proximity with reported poultry and wild/bird mammal detections! 🕵️
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
March 31, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Added some cool functionality to this 'H5N1 Animals' tab, I've scoured the internet documenting every known bird flu outbreak in livestock by county since 2024, and now you can contextualize these by date/proximity with reported poultry and wild/bird mammal detections! 🕵️
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Reposted by Daniel Summers
NEW: Per a source with knowledge, the entire HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, or OIDP, was just fired.
March 28, 2025 at 8:48 PM
NEW: Per a source with knowledge, the entire HHS Office of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, or OIDP, was just fired.
Growing number of bird flu-infected cats this year (49), NVSL is I think still working through a backlog, so probably not a full accounting.
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat in any area indicated on the second map (probably also SE), please reconsider the outdoor part:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat in any area indicated on the second map (probably also SE), please reconsider the outdoor part:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
March 27, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Growing number of bird flu-infected cats this year (49), NVSL is I think still working through a backlog, so probably not a full accounting.
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat in any area indicated on the second map (probably also SE), please reconsider the outdoor part:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
If you have an indoor/outdoor cat in any area indicated on the second map (probably also SE), please reconsider the outdoor part:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
I'm less and less confident the Newark H5 wastewater detections are driven by birds. Miami as example of "classic" bird-driven detection. Two straight months is ridiculous, the only place outside of CA experiencing something like and clearly unattributable to dairy (unless NMTS is whiffing badly)
March 27, 2025 at 3:58 PM
I'm less and less confident the Newark H5 wastewater detections are driven by birds. Miami as example of "classic" bird-driven detection. Two straight months is ridiculous, the only place outside of CA experiencing something like and clearly unattributable to dairy (unless NMTS is whiffing badly)
I added the ability to see known locations of H5N1 (bird flu) outbreaks in livestock today. Very few states provide county-level data so I'm relying on media sources, but it's important to contextualize these outbreaks with poultry, wild bird, mammal, and water detections!
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
March 26, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I added the ability to see known locations of H5N1 (bird flu) outbreaks in livestock today. Very few states provide county-level data so I'm relying on media sources, but it's important to contextualize these outbreaks with poultry, wild bird, mammal, and water detections!
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
USDA, in livestock data released today, didn't include the H5N1 infected dairy cattle herd in MN (announced Monday). This is due to MN BAH classifying this as a reinfection of the same herd from July 2024.
Nevertheless, I've done them both a favor and included it myself:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Nevertheless, I've done them both a favor and included it myself:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
March 25, 2025 at 4:44 PM
USDA, in livestock data released today, didn't include the H5N1 infected dairy cattle herd in MN (announced Monday). This is due to MN BAH classifying this as a reinfection of the same herd from July 2024.
Nevertheless, I've done them both a favor and included it myself:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Nevertheless, I've done them both a favor and included it myself:
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Reposted by Daniel Summers
The high prevalence of H5N1 in wild birds globally ensures that incidents like this will occur with increasing regularity. Each cross-species infection increases the risk of viral mutation, which in turn increases the risk of human to human transmission.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
First case of bird flu in sheep found on Yorkshire farm
The UK's chief veterinary officer confirms the case was discovered on a farm in Yorkshire.
www.bbc.co.uk
March 24, 2025 at 10:32 AM
The high prevalence of H5N1 in wild birds globally ensures that incidents like this will occur with increasing regularity. Each cross-species infection increases the risk of viral mutation, which in turn increases the risk of human to human transmission.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Great piece from @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social on the critical need to sustain *and* expand wastewater monitoring for bird flu.
Left: NWSS sites currently testing for bird flu (blue and purple).
Right: all H5N1 detections since 2024.
Huge wastewater surveillance gaps.
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Left: NWSS sites currently testing for bird flu (blue and purple).
Right: all H5N1 detections since 2024.
Huge wastewater surveillance gaps.
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
March 21, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Great piece from @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social on the critical need to sustain *and* expand wastewater monitoring for bird flu.
Left: NWSS sites currently testing for bird flu (blue and purple).
Right: all H5N1 detections since 2024.
Huge wastewater surveillance gaps.
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
Left: NWSS sites currently testing for bird flu (blue and purple).
Right: all H5N1 detections since 2024.
Huge wastewater surveillance gaps.
tinyurl.com/H5N1Dashboard
USDA recently announced funding priorities for the $100M "HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge" (part of the $1B initiative to "address" bird flu/rising egg prices).
"Innovative solutions to improve response strategies or minimize depopulation of poultry."
www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/hpai...
"Innovative solutions to improve response strategies or minimize depopulation of poultry."
www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/hpai...
March 20, 2025 at 3:27 PM
USDA recently announced funding priorities for the $100M "HPAI Poultry Innovation Grand Challenge" (part of the $1B initiative to "address" bird flu/rising egg prices).
"Innovative solutions to improve response strategies or minimize depopulation of poultry."
www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/hpai...
"Innovative solutions to improve response strategies or minimize depopulation of poultry."
www.aphis.usda.gov/funding/hpai...
"[We] should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flock so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it."
H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, has a near 100% mortality rate in poultry. This will cause more human infections.
H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, has a near 100% mortality rate in poultry. This will cause more human infections.
RFK, Jr. Wants to Let Bird Flu Spread on Poultry Farms. Why Experts Are Concerned
Health secretary RFK, Jr. has repeatedly suggested that farmers should let bird flu spread through flocks. Experts explain why that’s a dangerous idea
www.scientificamerican.com
March 20, 2025 at 3:17 PM
"[We] should consider maybe the possibility of letting it run through the flock so that we can identify the birds, and preserve the birds, that are immune to it."
H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, has a near 100% mortality rate in poultry. This will cause more human infections.
H5N1, a highly pathogenic avian influenza, has a near 100% mortality rate in poultry. This will cause more human infections.
Tried registering for this USDA webinar to learn more about the voluntary biosecurity risk assessments for commercial poultry facilities.
Not great!
Not great!
March 20, 2025 at 2:39 PM
Tried registering for this USDA webinar to learn more about the voluntary biosecurity risk assessments for commercial poultry facilities.
Not great!
Not great!
A spokesperson from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health said recently that "there isn't an additional risk to the general public, because dead birds cannot efficiently transmit [H5N1]."
I disagree, the risk is of a reassortment event. Here's what a live bird market looks like:
I disagree, the risk is of a reassortment event. Here's what a live bird market looks like:
Potential bird flu threat from New York poultry markets
YouTube video by AP Archive
youtu.be
March 20, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A spokesperson from the Philadelphia Department of Public Health said recently that "there isn't an additional risk to the general public, because dead birds cannot efficiently transmit [H5N1]."
I disagree, the risk is of a reassortment event. Here's what a live bird market looks like:
I disagree, the risk is of a reassortment event. Here's what a live bird market looks like:
"Our evidence suggests that it is likely going to be hard to treat people severely infected with this bovine H5N1 bird flu strain [...] existing antivirals’ effectiveness against H5N1 bird flu is route and drug dependent, in some cases doing almost nothing."
Current antivirals likely less effective against severe infection caused by bird flu in cows’ milk
Read new research showing that current antivirals do not work well against bird flu found in cow’s milk, and the route of infection affects disease severity.
www.stjude.org
March 18, 2025 at 2:05 PM
"Our evidence suggests that it is likely going to be hard to treat people severely infected with this bovine H5N1 bird flu strain [...] existing antivirals’ effectiveness against H5N1 bird flu is route and drug dependent, in some cases doing almost nothing."
We're almost 1 year since bird flu was discovered in US dairy cattle, so how are we doing? 😅
1/1/24 - 3/14/24
• 2.37M poultry affected
1/1/25 - 3/14/25
• 36.1M poultry affected
• 69 infected dairy cattle herds across 6 states
1/1/24 - 3/14/24
• 2.37M poultry affected
1/1/25 - 3/14/25
• 36.1M poultry affected
• 69 infected dairy cattle herds across 6 states
March 17, 2025 at 8:46 PM
We're almost 1 year since bird flu was discovered in US dairy cattle, so how are we doing? 😅
1/1/24 - 3/14/24
• 2.37M poultry affected
1/1/25 - 3/14/25
• 36.1M poultry affected
• 69 infected dairy cattle herds across 6 states
1/1/24 - 3/14/24
• 2.37M poultry affected
1/1/25 - 3/14/25
• 36.1M poultry affected
• 69 infected dairy cattle herds across 6 states