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twitter-tools-public/frontend/tui/commission-jobs-tui/39/09-biorisk.md.md

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Direct answer — snapshot: Last week’s biorisk headlines were dominated by expanding animal-human and vector-borne threats (notably H5N1 avian influenza in poultry and pet cats, and multiple mosquito-borne threats), a continued severe pediatric influenza season in the U.S., a large and growing U.S. measles burden, and multiple acute outbreak responses (cholera, Ebola, dengue). Concurrent themes included zoonotic spillovers linked to animal food chains (raw pet food), seasonal respiratory‑virus activity and vaccine updates, rising surveillance activity (wastewater and continent-level surveillance plans), and growing attention to antimicrobial resistance and exotic pest threats (New World screwworm). Key items and notable events (each with a representative tweet):

Major events and high‑risk developments

  • HPAI H5N1 activity in poultry and domestic animals, and raw‑pet‑food linkage: Several confirmations of highly pathogenic avian influenza in U.S. commercial flocks and a cluster of domestic cat deaths in Los Angeles tied to raw cat food drew major attention. Examples: Utah commercial turkey facility HPAI confirmation FluTrackers, reports on an LA County domestic‑cat cluster linked to raw food and a B3.13 genotype in one cat FluTrackers and coverage noting cat deaths prompting warnings about raw pet food CIDRAP. Pattern/trend: multiple Midwestern and West Coast poultry detections plus domestic carnivore infections indicate ongoing spillover risk and raise concern about cross‑species exposure pathways (including contaminated raw diets). Authorities and animal‑health messaging urged avoidance of sick/dead wild birds and caution around raw pet foods.

  • Record/very severe pediatric influenza season in the U.S.: CDC reports and MMWR coverage highlighted this season as one of the deadliest for U.S. children in over a decade, with one report noting the season’s pediatric death count (MMWR/CIDRAP reporting). Representative coverage: CDC/CIDRAP summary of the 2024–25 season’s deadly impact on kids and related MMWR analyses CIDRAP. Pattern: unusually high pediatric morbidity/mortality from influenza this season, prompting renewed emphasis on vaccination and pediatric surveillance.

  • Large and expanding measles activity and surveillance improvements: U.S. measles counts rose (CDC confirmed 23 more cases; 2025 totals topped ~1,500 per CIDRAP reporting) with clusters in multiple states including Utah (cases reached 41) and new linked cases in Georgia; pockets of low MMR uptake remain a driver. Representative links: CDC measles wastewater data rollout CDC_NCEZID and CIDRAP’s tally note CIDRAP. Pattern: outbreaks concentrated where vaccine coverage is low or delayed; public‑health agencies are adding early warning tools (wastewater) to detect and act on community spread.

  • Cholera and other enteric outbreaks & responses: New or recurrent cholera alerts were reported in multiple regions — Mozambique’s Moma district declared cholera again FluTrackers, and CIDRAP noted surges in Chad with a vaccine campaign launching in Sudan CIDRAP. Trend: conflict and access barriers complicate vaccination and response in parts of Africa, driving reactive campaigns.

  • New Ebola outbreak in DRC worsening and funding concerns: Reporting flagged a new Ebola cluster in Congo with rising deaths and warnings about insufficient funds for response statnews. Significance: persistent Ebola risk in DRC with resource constraints remains a major biorisk concern for regional and global responders.

Other notable biological‑risk items and trends

Important data points and mentions to note

Significant announcements/organizational actions

Concluding assessment and short outlook

Last week emphasized the breadth of modern biorisk: simultaneous animal‑human spillovers (H5N1 in poultry/cats), intense seasonal human respiratory disease impact (severe pediatric influenza; rising measles), and classic outbreak hotspots for enteric (cholera) and vector‑borne (dengue, West Nile, Powassan) pathogens. Trends to watch in the near term: further H5N1 detections in domestic animals or poultry (and any evidence of wider mammal transmission), pediatric flu hospitalization and mortality trends as the season progresses, expansion of measles clusters in undervaccinated communities, the trajectory of the new Ebola event in DRC (and funding response), and effectiveness of surveillance upgrades (wastewater, genomic sequencing) and regional preparedness initiatives (Africa CDC, USDA).