U.S. and International Responses to the Global Spread of Avian Flu: Issues for Congress

Publication Date: January 2007

Publisher: Library of Congress. Congressional Research Service

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Research Area: Health

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Abstract:

Influenza A/H5N1 is one of many influenza (flu) strains currently spreading throughout the world. Although it is a bird flu, it has infected some people and killed more than half of those infected. Since 1997, when the first human contracted H5N1 in Hong Kong, the virus has resurfaced and spread to more than 50 countries across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa -- infecting more than 260 people and killing more than 150 of those infected. In February 2006, the virus spread from Asia and central Europe to western Europe. By March 2006, health experts had confirmed new bird flu cases in more than 20 countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. The first human H5N1 fatalities outside of Asia occurred in that year, with Turkey and Iraq reporting H5N1-related human deaths for the first time in January and February, followed by Azerbaijan and Egypt in March.

Congress has provided funds for U.S. international avian flu efforts through three appropriations. P.L.109-13, FY2005 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, provided $25 million to combat the spread of avian influenza. The act also permitted the Secretary of State to transfer up to $656 million for U.S. avian flu initiatives. Ultimately, $6.3 million was transferred to USAID for those purposes, providing a total of $31.3 million for U.S. global avian flu activities from those appropriations. P.L.109-148, FY2006 Defense Department appropriations, included $3.8 billion to address pandemic influenza. P.L.109-234, FY2006 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations, provided $2.3 billion for avian and pandemic flu efforts, of which $30 million was appropriated to USAID for international avian flu efforts and $200 million was appropriated to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for global and domestic disease surveillance, laboratory capacity, research, and other activities. Relevant FY2007 U.S. department and agency budget justifications included some $205 million for global H5N1 initiatives. As in previous fiscal years, U.S. agencies and departments might commit additional resources to global avian flu efforts that were not specifically appropriated for those purposes.

This report provides an up-to-date account of global H5N1-related human infections and deaths, outlines U.S. global avian flu programs, and presents some foreign policy issues for Congress. This report will be updated should Congress provides additional funds for global purposes, and then only if H5N1 becomes effectively transmissible from person-to-person. For information on U.S. domestic preparedness efforts, agricultural issues, and anti-avian flu efforts of overseas governments, see CRS Report RL33145, Pandemic Influenza: Domestic Preparedness Efforts; CRS Report RL33795, Avian Influenza in Poultry and Wild Birds; and CRS Report RL33871, Foreign Countries' Response to the Avian Influenza (H5N1) Virus: Current Status.