Milk to be tested for bird flu virus in US

Tengrinews.kz – The US Department of Agriculture will begin testing milk supplies to the country for the presence of the bird flu virus, known as H5N1, citing The New York Times.

Under the new strategy, experts will collect samples of unpasteurised milk from large storage tanks at dairy processing plants across the country.

“Farmers and dairy processors will be required to provide samples of raw milk on request from the government. And farm owners with infected herds will be required to provide details that would help officials identify more cases and contacts,” the material says.

The guidelines mark a departure from voluntary guidelines issued by the department during the outbreak, it said. Many dairy farms ignored voluntary testing of milk and workers, leaving federal officials in the dark about the extent of the virus.

Many experts, including the World Health Organization, have criticized the lack of testing of cattle and people who may have been infected with the virus. Although the virus has not yet spread much among people, each undetected infection gives it an opportunity to adapt to transmission between people, experts say.

It remains unclear whether President-elect Donald Trump's administration will continue to implement the program after his inauguration.

The newspaper reports that the virus has now been detected in 720 herds in 15 states, although experts believe that figure is significantly underreported due to a lack of mandatory testing. At least 58 people, most of them farmers, have also contracted the virus.

The department's previous major testing order came in April, when federal officials required dairy cows to be tested for flu before being transported between states.

Under the new strategy, the department will monitor milk samples from farms across the country and work with local authorities to identify infected herds. The new rules also include private laboratories and government veterinarians, who are required to report to the department any cases of the virus found in raw milk samples.

The program is starting in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. California is currently the epicenter of the outbreak. Colorado and Michigan are also reporting multiple infected herds. Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania have not yet detected the virus in cows.

Earlier, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed the first case of avian influenza (H5N1) in a child. The infected child, located in California, exhibited mild symptoms and was treated with antiviral medications.