Gillibrand Calls On Centers For Disease Control And Prevention To Provide Public Updates On Hantavirus Spread

Today, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) called on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to fulfill its obligation to provide timely and accurate information about the spread of hantavirus to both health professionals and the public. Since April, the world has tracked the hantavirus outbreak that began among individuals on the MV Hondius cruise ship and has so far led to three fatalities. While reporting indicates that the pandemic potential remains low, there remains a heightened sense of fear and unease that still persists due to the residual impacts of COVID-19. In the letter to Acting CDC Director Jay Bhattacharya , Senator Gillibrand emphasized the importance of disseminating accurate information, writing, “It is disappointing that the CDC has not yet held a public press briefing for Americans to learn about this outbreak and that it took over a month for the CDC to release a clinician brief.” She continued that it is incumbent on the federal government to be “transparent on the status of response efforts and articulating the potential risks of a pathogen to the public.” The senator demanded that for the sake of public health, the CDC must “provide daily updates to the public, clinicians, and to Congress on their response efforts to the hantavirus. Cooperation among the federal government and our international partners is key during an infectious disease outbreak, and it is important for the public to see this collaboration continue.” The CDC has long been known for “demonstrated excellence in its ability to conduct health surveillance as well as provide excellent technical collaboration with our international partners,” and the senator urged international coordination and cooperation. The senator underscored the importance of the agency having adequate staff and funding, as well as permanent leadership, to maintain an effective response to this outbreak and future public health risks. Gillibrand closed by seeking transparency on the federal response to the hantavirus outbreak, specifically targeting improvements in public diagnostic protocols and the acceleration of medical countermeasures. Her request called for the agency to offer guidance on exposure and testing, provide transparent projections on the outbreak’s duration, and detail current efforts to bridge critical knowledge gaps regarding the virus’s transmission. Furthermore, the senator pressed for an account of the CDC’s strategic collaboration with domestic partners like the National Institutes of Health and Food and Drug Administration, as well as international bodies including the World Health Organization, to fast-track the development of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies while ensuring robust global surveillance. The full letter can be found HERE . ###