Joe Lieberman: “Today, Senator Brownback, Senator Akaka, and I are introducing legislation that establishes a wildlife global animal…”

“Today, Senator Brownback, Senator Akaka, and I are introducing legislation that establishes a wildlife global animal information network for surveillance to enhance preparedness and awareness of emerging infectious diseases. More than 60 percent of the approximately 1,400 currently known infectious diseases are shared between wildlife and humans. Over the past 30 years we have had many emerging infectious disease outbreaks, including hantavirus, plague, ebola, HIV/AIDS, SARS, and H5N1 influenza. In fact, more than 35 new infectious diseases have emerged in humans since 1980, which means that approximately one new infectious disease in humans has appeared every 8 months. These diseases have resulted in many deaths and billions of dollars in costs. Millions of wild animals are traded globally and come into contact with humans and dozens of other species, contributing to the introduction of new diseases in humans. There are numerous examples of these spreading viruses that pose significant threats across the globe. For instance, the spreading H5N1 virus, a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) strain, is a significant threat to global human health, the global poultry industry, and the global economy more generally.”