LANSING, Mich. — Michigan Democrats are raising alarm over the growing threat of bird flu, proposing three bills aimed at preventing a potential pandemic. The legislation, introduced in the Michigan House of Representatives on Wednesday, seeks to fund widespread bird flu testing in wild animals, livestock, and humans to monitor and control the spread of the virus.
State Representative Carrie Rheingans, who introduced the bills, warned that the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (H5N1) is already affecting humans across the globe. She stressed that, while the virus has not yet become transmissible between people, the risk of mutation remains a serious concern.
“Every single time the virus transmits from an animal to a human, there is a chance for that mutation to happen,” said Rheingans. “That’s why we are trying so hard to reduce the number of infections among all sorts of animals, including wild animals.”
Rheingans and her colleagues believe that proactive testing and monitoring could help reduce the likelihood of the virus mutating into a more dangerous form. The legislation aims to bolster efforts to detect and contain outbreaks before they spiral out of control.
State Representative Betsy Coffia emphasized the responsibility to protect both public health and Michigan’s agricultural industry. “We all have a duty to protect the people and the communities of Michigan and this country, and to support our farmers and our food chains,” she said.
While bird flu has led to human infections in various parts of the world, the fatality rate is notably high, with around 50% of human cases resulting in death. However, only a small number of deaths have been reported in the United States. Despite this, officials warn that if the virus mutates to spread easily between people, it could lead to a global health crisis.
The bills also aim to address the economic fallout from a potential outbreak. State Representative Reggie Miller noted that an avian flu pandemic could severely disrupt the agricultural sector, particularly poultry farmers. “Farmers will certainly struggle to make a profit when entire flocks are killed by this virus, which can mutate, which in turn creates higher prices for consumers in the end,” Miller explained.
At present, several states are already conducting bird flu testing in hospitals, but Michigan lawmakers are calling on the federal government to take more robust action. Rheingans criticized the federal government for its lack of attention to the issue, citing a recent decision to cut 25% of staff at the national laboratory responsible for testing avian influenza.
“The federal government is not taking action to address this at this moment,” said Rheingans. “In fact, they’re cutting 25% of the staff at the national lab founded by the USDA that would be doing testing of Highly-Pathogenic Avian Influenza.”
The introduction of these bills marks an urgent push from Michigan lawmakers to mitigate the risks associated with the spread of avian influenza, urging both state and federal governments to take the threat more seriously before it escalates into a full-scale pandemic.
