February 10 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has withdrawn a controversial report that suggested cats could be a potential source of bird flu transmission to humans. The initial report caused a stir among the public and pet owners. However, the CDC has now removed the report from its website without any public announcement or explanation.
The retraction was found by the U.S. Right to Know (USRTK), an advocacy group, who noticed that the report was no longer available on the CDC's website. The group had been tracking the report since its release due to its controversial content, and its sudden disappearance raised questions.
According to the original report, a variant of bird flu called H7N2 had infected cats in New York City in 2016 and 2017, and a veterinarian who treated the infected cats also contracted the virus. However, it was unclear whether the cats were the source of the infection. The report suggested further research is required to understand the risk of bird flu transmission from cats to humans.
The CDC has not yet provided an explanation for the retraction of the report. The original document is still available in the internet archive, but the link on the CDC's website now leads to a page that states, 'This page is currently not available.'
CDC's decision to withdraw the report has caused confusion among pet owners and the public. It has also raised concerns about the transparency of the organization, and the reasons behind the removal of such a potentially significant report.
