Los Angeles County Health Department or CDC report

Two Cats Die in LA County After Consuming H5N1-Contaminated Raw Milk, Prompting Public Health Alert

Dec 12, 2024, 08:02 PM

Los Angeles County health officials are investigating the deaths of two cats after they consumed recalled raw milk contaminated with the H5N1 bird flu virus from Raw Farm LLC. The cats, both indoor pets, exhibited symptoms such as lack of appetite, fever, and neurological issues before succumbing to the illness. Both animals tested positive for Influenza A, with the county health department considering them 'presumptive' H5N1 cases pending confirmatory testing. Individuals who had direct contact with the cats are being monitored for symptoms and have been offered Tamiflu or other antiviral prophylaxis. The risk to the general public remains low, but this incident underscores the dangers of consuming raw dairy products, which can lead to severe illness in pets. The outbreak of H5N1 in dairy cows, which began in March, has now affected over 700 herds across 15 states in the U.S., with 58 human cases reported. Health officials are urging the public to avoid raw dairy products and to limit contact with sick or dead animals.