NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue to Receive $2M of Federal Funding to Advance Avian Flu Preparedness
The funding underscores the critical role Bellevue Hospital plays in safeguarding public health as cases of H5N1 increase across the nation The risk of H5N1 coming to New York City is low
Jan 13, 2025
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue today announced it will receive $2 million from the federal government to enhance national avian influenza preparedness, one of only thirteen institutions nationwide to receive this funding. Bellevue Hospital is the designated Regional Emerging Special Pathogen Treatment Center (RESPTC) for Region 2, leading special pathogen preparedness and response efforts in New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The funding announcement is timely and critical, with the recent development of the first H5N1-related human death in the U.S. The funding is part of a comprehensive $306 million investment by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of the nation’s H5N1 Avian Flu response. H5N1 is a highly pathogenic avian influenza virus that is widespread among wild birds globally and has been responsible for outbreaks in poultry and dairy cows. While the risk to the U.S. general population remains low, the virus has a historical fatality rate of over 50%. The risk of H5N1 coming to New York City is low.
Today’s announcement builds on the ongoing H5N1 preparedness activities at NYC Health + Hospitals, including the H5N1 training exercise held by the health system and the NYC Health Department in October. The exercise tested the health care system’s ability to screen and isolate a “patient” with simulated symptoms of H5N1 and relevant exposure history and safely transport from NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County to NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. Health care and ambulance workers needed to wear an N95 respirator, eye protection, gown and gloves and follow strict protocols to ensure their safety while handling the patient to prevent exposure to the pathogen. Health care workers seeing the simulated patient were informed that this was an exercise to test the health system’s various protocols for bird flu.
“As part of NETEC and as the Level 1 RESPTC for Region 2, Bellevue Hospital understands that effective response requires both expertise and extensive coordination,” said Vikramjit Mukherjee, MD, NETEC Co-Principal Investigator, and Director of the Special Pathogens Program and Director of Critical Care Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue. “Our established relationships with Special Pathogens Treatment Centers (SPTCs) and frontline facilities ensure that we can rapidly disseminate critical protocols and training to healthcare systems and emergency preparedness partners across the country.”
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue continues to lead efforts in preparing for and responding to special pathogens such as avian influenza (H5N1),” said Syra Madad, DHSc, MSc, MCP, CHEP, Chief Biopreparedness Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals. “The recent funding from HHS underscores the critical role Bellevue Hospital plays in safeguarding public health. This investment strengthens our capacity to rapidly detect, respond to, and mitigate the spread of H5N1and other special pathogens. Our recent full-scale H5N1 exercise showcased Bellevue’s pivotal role in integrating public health, healthcare, and emergency management systems, highlighting our commitment to protecting New Yorkers and enhancing national preparedness.”
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue was one of three institutions in the U.S. that treated patients in the Ebola outbreak in 2014, and subsequently formed the National Emerging Special Pathogens Training and Education Center (NETEC), a consortium to enhance national special pathogen preparedness. The other two institutions are Emory University in Atlanta and University of Nebraska Medical Center/Nebraska Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska. For more about NETEC, avian flu training and resources, or to request technical assistance, visit NETEC.org.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Bellevue Public Relations, 212-562-4516
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue
NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue is America’s oldest public hospital, established in 1736. Affiliated with the NYU Grossman School of Medicine, the 851-bed hospital is a major referral center for highly complex cases, with 6,000 employees including highly skilled, interdisciplinary clinical staff. The hospital is a Level 1 Trauma Center and annually it sees about 103,000 emergency room visits, and more than 520,000 outpatient visits. Clinical centers of excellence include: Emergency Medicine and Trauma Care; Cardiovascular Services; Bariatric Surgery; Designated Regional Perinatal Center and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit; Children’s Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program; and Cancer Services. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/bellevue and follow us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.