USDA or state health department reports

H5N1 Bird Flu in US Cows Raises Concerns Amid New Testing and Vaccine Efforts

Jul 8, 2024, 02:20 PM

The recent spread of the H5N1 bird flu virus to cows in the United States has raised concerns among health officials and researchers. The USDA has introduced a new framework for testing the virus across species, including mandatory testing of all four teats of a cow's udder. Financial assistance is available for affected dairy farmers in New Mexico. Despite the virus's presence, standard pasteurization processes ensure milk remains safe for consumption. Finland and fourteen other EU countries, as well as the United States, have procured bird flu vaccines in anticipation of a potential pandemic. Research indicates that while the virus has infected hundreds of mammals, it shows minimal air transmission among ferrets. However, the virus's ability to mutate and potentially spread between mammals remains a concern. The debate continues among experts about the virus's adaptation to better infect humans.