Moderna has been awarded approximately $590 million from the federal government to help speed up the development of an mRNA-based bird flu vaccine, health officials said.

The U.S. government has awarded Moderna $590 million to advance the development of its bird flu vaccine, as the country doubles down on efforts to tackle increasing infections in humans.

The US Department of Health and Human Services will award $590 million to Moderna to continue developing a vaccine to protect against bird flu, the pharmaceutical company announced Friday.

Wayne County has its first confirmed case of the highly pathogenic avian influenza, state officials reported Friday. The "bird flu" virus was first detected in Michigan in 2022; and has been the focus of attention in recent weeks both in the state and across the country.

A highly pathogenic avian flu has been confirmed in backyard flock in the state, according to the Connecticut Department of Agriculture. The department said the (HPAI) H5N1, or bird flu, was confirmed in a backyard flock located in New London County on Wednesday,

"The affected premises is currently under quarantine, and the birds were depopulated to prevent disease spread," MDARD said in a statement issued Thursday afternoon.Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.