US - New USDA / APHIS format for reporting H5N1 wild birds is completely unacceptable - July 24, 2025 - Now Fixed! Thank you!

[sharon sanders]

hat tip Pathfinder


This is a screenshot of the new format:

https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/wild-birds

Here is a screenshot of the former format:

https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum/united-states/h5n1-tracking-af/new-york/984986-new-york-2024-2025-avian-flu-in-wild-birds?p=1016290#post1016290

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Please notice the huge difference. Missing in the new format are:

Date detected
Type of HPAI
Bird species
WOAH classification
Sampling method


This is unacceptable. What the **** is going on? You remember the concept of "American Exceptionalism"? This is an example of our decline. Please have pride in your work. Think of your fellow citizens. We need to know what we face. The type of bird tells us a lot about what is going on in the environment. Also - H5N1 is only one type of HPAI. There are more. We need to be sure we are still dealing with only one type in the US.

I just do not have the words. This is absolutely not best practices. Is this how you are reporting to WOAH? If it is...this is a global let down.

omg....just when I think I have seen everything....come on...get with it......holy ****

[sharon sanders]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
·
1m
Please @USDA @USDA_APHIS reinstate previous HPAI wild bird
reporting format. We are talking about public health here. We
need to know the type of HPAI and the bird species so we can
assess the spread.
@WhiteHouse @DrGerryParker

[Michael Coston]

Where The Wild Bird Flu Data Goes



Updated Display Format On USDA Wild Bird Site

#18,808

Late yesterday Sharon Sanders of FluTrackersnotified me of an abrupt change to the USDA's wild Wild Bird HPAI Dashboard (screenshot above), which no longer displays critical data like the Date detected, HPAI Subtype, Bird Species, WOAH Classification and Sampling Method.

All critical data which has been readily available on their site since 2022 (see screen shot below (h/t FluTrackers)).

Obviously, with the recent spread of HPAI H5N5 in both Europe and Canada, and the recent reports of H5N9 in California, the removal of subtype data in this new format is of particular concern.

Species information can also provide clues as to how the virus is spreading, and whether non-avian species are involved. It could also provide early warning to pet owners or bird lovers as to what species are currently at greater risk of carrying the virus.

I downloaded the 1.5 Megabyte CSV (spreadsheet) file to see if the data was still being maintained, but somehow hidden from the dashboard display, and found this:




A 256 character string of `#' has been added to 6 (of 13,745) line items in the Date Detected field, effectively shoving the `missing data' far enough to the right to no longer display on the dashboard.


The good news is, the data is still being accumulated. But you have to scroll several screens to the right to find it.





If you are accustomed to working with spreadsheets, you can reduce that wide 256 character column (highlighted in blue) down to 12 characters and view each entry on a single screen.






Of course, it requires downloading, and manually manipulating a massive CSV file every time you want an update.

At least until they decide to make another change to the format.

I've no idea why someone decided that removing this data from USDA's dashboard (while technically still making it available) was a good idea. But this seems to be part of a growing trend to reduce the flow information being released on HPAI around the world.

The CDC's last H5N1 News & Spotlight update was May 2nd (Results of Influenza Risk Assessment Tool), while three weeks ago the CDC announced they would scale back updates on H5N1 bird flu.

.

Globally, we continue to see the slow-rolling of avian flu information, with the WHO constantly reminding member nations of their duty to report all novel pathogen spillovers into humans.

Last March, in Nature: Lengthy Delays in H5N1 Genome Submissions to GISAID, we learned that many H5 sequences linger for months before before being submitted to GISAID. Sometimes for a year or longer.

Admittedly, there may be some short-term political or economic gains from pretending that all is well, and that HPAI is under control.

But all of that vanishes the moment one of these zoonotic viruses finally cracks the code, and beings to transmit easily among humans.

At which point we'll truly wish we had the time back we are squandering now, pretending the next pandemic won't happen on our watch.

https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2025/...data-goes.html

[sharon sanders]

It looks like they are working on it this morning. I am getting this format on the CSV file but the dashboard format is still missing the full data. You have to download the CSV file to get the data......

[sharon sanders]

FluTrackers.com
@FluTrackers
·
1s
US - Thank you this morning to everyone working on the HPAI
wild bird reporting system. The spreadsheet looks like it is being
worked on but the dashboard is still lacking info.
@USDA @USDA_APHIS @WhiteHouse @DrGerryParker #H5N1

[Michael Coston]

Update On the USDA Wild Bird HPAI Dashboard ( Now Fixed)


Credit USDA

#18,810

As I wrote yesterday, in Where The Wild Bird Flu Data Goes, on Thursday the USDA's HPAI in Wild Birds Dashboard display abruptly omitted 5 of the 8 columns of information on each report, including Date detected, HPAI Subtype, Bird Species, WOAH Classification and Sampling Method.



Yesterday's Display On The USDA Wild Bird Site

After I downloaded the full CSV file I discovered that the 4th column had been widened to 256 characters - and in 6 entries, filled with long strings of characters - effectively shoving the missing data far to the right, effectively preventing it from being displayed.

I'm pleased to report that sometime since late yesterday afternoon the USDA's site has been fixed (see screenshot below) and that - for the most part - all of the data is displaying properly.




Curiously, as of 4am EST this morning, the 6 errant entries (all from Obion County, Tn) remain (see screenshot below). While this skews the display on those pages, all the data remains accessible.




Although I'm a bit mystified over the reasoning behind expanding a date field to 256 characters - and filling several entries with long strings of characters - I'm sure it made sense to someone at the time.

In any event, I'm grateful for all of calls online to the USDA asking for a remedy, and the USDA's prompt response.


https://afludiary.blogspot.com/2025/...dashboard.html

[sharon sanders]

Thank you!

[sharon sanders]

Stat is reporting that @DrGerryParker has resigned:

https://www.statnews.com/2025/07/30/white-house-pandemic-preparedness-office-leaderless-unprepared/