President Biden has allocated an additional $306 million to combat the spread of bird flu, specifically to prevent a potential outbreak in humans before the transition of power to President-elect Trump.

This funding is a precautionary measure to address the growing concern of the H5N1 avian influenza outbreak, which has already affected over 50 million birds in the US. The administration aims to strengthen the nation’s preparedness and response to the virus.

The allocated funds will focus on enhancing hospital preparedness, research for therapeutics, diagnostics, and vaccines. A significant portion of the funding will support state and local initiatives, including surveillance efforts and outreach programs for high-risk groups such as livestock workers.

The decision to allocate additional funding comes as the US experiences its worst bird flu outbreak in seven years. The H5N1 strain has already caused human cases, resulting in a mortality rate of about 50%. The funding will support key initiatives, including regional preparedness programs, enhanced monitoring efforts, and research into medical countermeasures.