There have been at least 24 million flu cases in the United States this flu season, including more than 13,000 deaths. This is the worst flu epidemic in the United States in 15 years. Some analysts pointed out that the main reasons for the surge in cases include the decline in the wearing rate of masks by the public, the decline in the effectiveness of flu vaccines, the poor social distance, and the inadequate public epidemic prevention measures.

Flu usually occurs in winter. In the densely populated temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, the peak activity of influenza viruses is often from January to February. Since the flu season in the United States started late, it has not yet reached its peak.

Most of the cases this flu season are caused by two strains, influenza A (H1N1) and influenza A (H3N2). At the same time, health department personnel are paying close attention to the avian influenza A (H5N1). The avian influenza has caused a large number of poultry to become sick, and supermarkets are experiencing an egg shortage.

In addition, the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also show that since the end of 2024, the country has reported nearly 70 cases of human infection with influenza A (H5N1). Although no human-to-human transmission of H5N1 has been found, the agency said that people who have long-term contact with birds, poultry or cows are at greater risk of infection.

On February 10, the Nevada Department of Health reported the state's first case of human infection with the H5N1 avian influenza virus. The patient was a dairy farm worker who contracted the disease after contact with infected cows. In addition to conjunctivitis, the patient had no other symptoms. Symptoms of human infection with H5N1 include high fever, cough, sore throat, muscle pain and severe breathing difficulties.

At the same time, US President Trump signed an executive order on January 20, the first day of his inauguration, announcing the withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization. This is the second time Trump has ordered the United States to withdraw from the WHO after the COVID-19 pandemic. At that time, Trump accused the WHO of promoting "fake news" related to the new coronavirus, "concealing" the spread of the epidemic, and failing to respond correctly in time.

Some countries and organizations expressed concern that the United States no longer informed the WHO of relevant information. On February 11, World Health Organization spokesman Christian Lindmeier said that since the United States announced its withdrawal from the WHO, the organization has had difficulty obtaining information from the United States about the country's avian influenza epidemic.

Based on data reported by various countries, the WHO, which is affiliated with the United Nations, is committed to coordinating responses to health emergencies worldwide and providing technical assistance. Other data show that about one-fifth of the WHO's 2023 budget (about US$1.28 billion) comes from the United States. In addition, the voluntary contributions provided by the United States are mainly used in the fields of polio eradication, vaccine development, prevention and treatment of AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, maternal and child health.

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