The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Monday it has ended its emergency response for H5N1 bird flu, owing to a decline in animal infections and no reports of human cases since February.
The emergency response was deactivated on July 2, the agency told Reuters, adding that surveillance and response for bird flu cases will continue under the purview of its influenza division.
The number of people monitored and tested for bird flu will be reported on a monthly basis, the agency said, adding that it will no longer report infection rates in animals on its website.
The virus has infected 70 people, mostly farm workers, and killed one person over the past year as it spread aggressively among cattle herds and poultry flocks.
