One in five retail samples of commercial milk has traces of bird flu, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week.
The avian flu was first detected in Texas herds in March — and it has since been found in more than three dozen herds in eight states, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
“The agency continues to analyze this information; however, the initial results show about 1 in 5 of the retail samples tested are…positive…with a greater proportion of positive results coming from milk in areas with infected herds,” the FDA said.
The only known recent case of H5N1, the specific strain detected, was in a US dairy worker, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). The worker is only the second known person in the US to test positive for the virus.
Now, dairy cattle moving between states have to be tested for the virus to control the growing outbreak. Every lactating cow must now be tested and receive a negative result before moving across state lines. The herds known to carry the virus are located in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Dakota.
Health agencies and experts are emphasising that dairy products are still safe to consume.
“To date, the retail milk studies have shown no results that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the FDA said.
“Right now, all indication is that pasteurization is effective,” Dr. Andrew Bowman, a veterinary epidemiologist, told NBC News.
The symptoms of bird flu in humans range from no symptoms to severe symptoms, according to the CDC. These symptoms can include fever, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures, the CDC said. Human-to-human transmission is also rare.
Egg producers are also on high alert after chickens tested positive for the virus in Texas and Michigan. Officials have killed millions of birds and the FDA maintains the risk of human infection is still low.
More to come…
