Trump's CDC halt raises alarm over deadly virus risks
Dr. Stephanie Psaki warns that decisions by the Trump administration may bring deadly diseases to the US, such as the Marburg virus, currently widespread in Africa. The former advisor also adds that the best solution is to respond to threats before they reach the country.
Dr. Stephanie Psaki, a former White House health advisor and sister of Joe Biden's press secretary, expressed concerns about the Trump administration's decisions, which may increase the risk of dangerous pathogens entering the US. Specifically, there is the Marburg virus, which is currently causing an outbreak in Tanzania, reports the Daily Mail.
The Trump administration implemented a 90-day halt on the activities of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), FDA (Food and Drug Administration), and NIH (National Institutes of Health), and also suspended cooperation with the World Health Organization. Dr. Psaki believes that such actions weaken the US's ability to respond to biological threats.
The Marburg virus, mentioned by Psaki, is similar to Ebola. It has a mortality rate of up to 88%, and there is no vaccine or treatment for it. Dr. Psaki emphasizes that the only protection is to stop the virus at its source. Currently, in Tanzania, eight out of nine infected people have died. On January 12th alone, five out of six sick individuals were reported to have died.
It usually causes hemorrhagic fever, headaches, fever, and vomiting. The disease can spread between humans through contact with bodily fluids such as blood and feces. Healthcare workers trying to assist patients are especially vulnerable.
- As I’ve watched the Trump administration announce a series of actions that undermine our ability to detect and respond to biological threats... I wonder: Who is protecting the American people from Marburg right now? - quotes the Daily Mail, the former advisor to Joe Biden.
The current administration's decisions may lead to the US being isolated from early warning systems, which increases the risk of being unprepared for new pathogens. The Marburg virus outbreak is still developing. We have little knowledge of what is happening in Africa. Experts in the US have lost access to many tools they would typically use to protect Americans, added Stephanie Psaki.
The former Biden advisor stated that the previous administration implemented a strategy of monitoring and responding to biological threats for the United States abroad to prevent them from reaching the country. She assessed that it is "the best solution to ensure the safety of Americans."
