U.S. Faces Growing H5N1 Bird Flu Crisis in Dairy Cattle, $100M Allocated for Surveillance

May 11, 2024, 02:38 PM

The United States is currently grappling with a significant outbreak of H5N1 bird flu, which has now been confirmed in 42 dairy herds across nine states. The latest reports from the USDA indicate that six new herds have tested positive for the virus, with four located in Michigan and one each in Idaho and Colorado. This marks the first new confirmations since April 25. The spread of H5N1 to dairy cattle is particularly concerning to scientists and has led to the allocation of $100 million for enhanced surveillance measures.