A coalition of Michigan House Democrats concerned about the spread of avian influenza is hoping to pass several resolutions to address the issue.
Federal cuts from the Trump Administration have slashed resources for researching and combating bird flu.
Representative Carrie Rheingans has a background in health care, including her time as project director for the Michigan Public Health Institute. She says she and her colleagues are trying to be proactive against bird flu before it has any possibility of fusing with the flu.
“So, if a human is infected with both, it’s possible could recombine genetically and really cause a human transmissible pandemic. That’s what we’re trying to prevent.”
The proposed resolutions would fund the Michigan Departments of Natural Resources, Agriculture and Rural Development, and Health and Human Services. Rheingans says this approach will help Michigan better track and treat bird flu in wildlife, livestock and humans.
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