U.S. CDC director announces departure by end of June

LOS ANGELES, May 5 (Xinhua) -- Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Rochelle Walensky announced Friday she will depart the agency at the end of June.

Walensky has led CDC through a transition to normalcy across the country, after two years of COVID-19 related closures and waves of dangerous, new virus variants.

She also launched a wide-ranging set of reforms designed to strengthen CDC communications and response operations.

U.S. President Joe Biden said Walensky led a complex organization on the front lines of a once-in-a-generation pandemic with honesty and integrity.

"Dr. Walensky leaves CDC a stronger institution, better positioned to confront health threats and protect Americans," Biden said.