Full story: https://grafa.com/news/health-moderna-stock-soars-after-first-u-s--bird-flu-death-reported-344829
Moderna (NASDAQ:MRNA) shares surged over 10% on Tuesday, leading gains in the S&P 500, following the announcement of the first bird flu-related death in the United States.
The biotech company is currently developing a vaccine for the H5N1 avian influenza strain.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Monday the death of a Louisiana resident who had been hospitalized with severe H5N1 avian influenza.
The CDC stated that while saddened by the news, the death was "not unexpected" due to the virus's potential to cause severe illness and death.
The CDC reported 66 confirmed human cases of H5N1 bird flu in the U.S. since 2024, and a total of 67 since 2022.
The news of the death appears to have driven investor interest in Moderna, whose shares jumped 12% to $47.50 in early-afternoon trading on Tuesday.
However, despite this recent surge, Moderna's stock has significantly declined over the past year, losing more than half its value.
Meanwhile, the stock remains far below its all-time high of nearly $500, reached in August 2021 during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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