NEW DELHI: The US government has awarded a $176 million contract to vaccine maker firm Moderna for developing a pandemic vaccine that could be used to treat bird flu in people. The award was made through the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority or BARDA. It's a programme that focuses on developing vaccines for potential pandemics and diseases that could break out in future. The decision comes as bird flu cases in dairy cows are rapidly increasing across the US.

According to federal officials, the funds will be released through the US Department of Health and Human Services. The vaccine will be made using the same mRNA technology that was used in developing COVID-19 vaccines. The technology can reportedly allow scientists to rapidly develop vaccines and roll them out in the markets after mass production.

Moderna will launch trials to test the safety and effectiveness of a vaccine. Its use will be promoted if deemed necessary by officials in the face of a potential threat of a bird flu pandemic.

The H5N1 virus, which causes bird flu, has been detected in dairy cows across the US, with at least 135 herds in 12 states being infected. The virus has also made it to at least three humans to date in the country. However, health officials in the country believe that the risk of a H5N1 virus-induced pandemic remains low.

The World Health Organization (WHO) on June 11 reported that a case of human infection with bird flu (caused by H9N2 virus) was detected in a four-year-old child in the eastern state of West Bengal.

"The patient was admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (ICU) of a local hospital due to persistent severe respiratory issues, high fever and abdominal cramps in February, and was discharged three months later after diagnosis and treatment," the WHO said.

So far, India has registered two cases of human infection of H9N2 bird flu. The first was reported in 2019.