According to health officials on Monday, dairy cows and milk in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico, have tested positive for the bird flu. Furthermore, the virus is affecting older dairy cows in those states.
What is the bird flu?
The bird flu, which is affecting these states and dairy products, is a disease primarily caused by a family of flu viruses, generally transmitted through birds.
For the most part, the spread of the virus has largely increased and is costing the government $660 million. The virus increased the price of eggs and poultry, furthermore requiring the killing of more than 50 million birds.
Symptoms caused
The bird flu is affecting cows and causing many reckless inconveniences. The virus is causing a drop in milk production, loss of appetite, and changes in manure consistency.
This information regarding the flu was released one week after finding out the goats were also diagnosed with this virus. The virus required the US dairies to only allow milk from healthy animals to enter the food supply chain. The milk from the cows infected, is being destroyed.
This is to ensure the the health and safety as the virus has already spread in three big areas, and its best to minimize the bird flu at its source so it does not increase in places it has and has not spread to.
The Pasteurization of the milk
This information regarding the bird flu may cause people to worry about the milk they are purchasing.
In the rare case the contaminated milk is about to be sold it altogether goes through the pasteurization process. This process is required for milk sold through interstate commerce.
This process also kills viruses and other bacteria, according to the US Department of Agriculture. “At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health,” the agency said in a statement.
Negative economic consequences
According to the federal government, the test on the cattle did not detect any changes to the virus that would cause it spread easily to people. The cattle’s are expected to recover, according to the Texas agriculture. The outbreak, although, will cause a negative economic consequences towards some of the daily facilitates.
Those impacted
The agency said its officials, along with the Food and Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and state veterinary and public health authorities, claimed the illness was detected primarily in elder cows.
Dead birds found on properties
Bird Flu Found in Milk in Three States in the US, However it isn’t the only affecting the cows and dairy products. Farms in Texas and Kansas, identically have reported the discovery of dead birds on their properties. They made the discovery of these birds over the weekend, as well as on Friday, additional testing took place. The farms have reported the discovery of dead wild birds on their properties.
The finding in Texas were negative, nonetheless the commercial milk supply is still safe due to the federal animal health requirements, lest pasteurization.
The risk of the bird flu
Even though the virus might cause some concern, the risk of the bird flu spreading to human is very low.
The National Veterinary Services laboratories have not found changes in the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans. According to the USDA, The risk of the public catching the virus will stay very low for now.
The federal and state agencies, nonetheless are going to remain moving quickly while doing additional testing for the bird flu.
Witten By: Maleah Atkins
Sources
The Guardian: Bird flu found in US milk for first time in Texas, Kansas and New Mexico
The USA Today: Milk from sick dairy cattle in 2 states test positive for bird flu: What to know
The weather channel: Bird Flu Reaches Cattle; Virus Found In Milk From 3 States
Top & Featured Image Courtesy of Fred Davis‘ Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inset Image Courtesy of Mike Mozart’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
