The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is facing a critical crisis in providing timely and accurate flu data, leaving emergency room physicians and public health experts scrambling for information on the severity of the outbreak. The CDC has gone quiet since President Donald Trump took office, with many experts claiming that it’s not reporting influenza data through the World Health Organization’s (WHO) global platforms.
According to Maria Van Kerkhove, interim director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness at the WHO, “We are communicating with them, but we haven’t heard anything back.” This lack of communication has led to concerns among doctors and researchers that the CDC is withholding information on the flu outbreak.
The situation is further complicated by a critical analysis of the seasonal flu that stalled due to the Trump administration’s withdrawal from the WHO. The CDC’s main method of sharing urgent public health information, the Health Alert Network (HAN), has also been criticized for not providing timely updates on the flu outbreak.
Experts are warning that the lack of data is causing uncertainty and potentially making people react in counterproductive ways. Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the Pandemic Center at Brown University, said “Missing and delayed data causes uncertainty… It’s like we’re trying to put out a fire without knowing where it started.”
A recent federal judge ordered the CDC to restore datasets and websites that were altered by the Trump administration. The judge also requested an investigation into missing data and delayed reports. CDC advisory committee members are urging the acting director of the CDC, the head of HHS, and the White House to take action to address the crisis.
The situation highlights the importance of timely and accurate public health information in protecting people from infectious diseases like the flu. As the flu season continues, experts are calling on the CDC to restore its data collection efforts and provide more frequent updates on the outbreak.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/14/health/cdc-outbreaks-kff-health-news/index.html