In recent months, there has been a surge in cases of bird flu in the United States, with domestic and wild birds being the most common carriers. However, this year, the virus has also been detected in dairy cattle – a first. This has prompted concern among health officials, who are working to prevent the spread of the disease to humans.
On Monday, the Hamilton County Health Department addressed the situation, urging people to avoid consuming raw milk in order to prevent illness. Dr. Dawn Ford from the health department emphasized that commercial milk is safe to drink and that there have been no reported cases of bird flu in Tennessee so far. However, surveillance efforts are ongoing to monitor the situation and detect any potential human-to-human transmission of the virus as early as possible.
Wastewater testing for bird flu is being conducted in several states, including Tennessee. While wastewater samples from Minnesota, Idaho, Texas and Michigan have tested positive for the virus, officials say that the risk remains low in Hamilton County due to the absence of certified dairy farms in the area. Nevertheless, over 170 certified dairy farms across Tennessee are actively monitoring the situation and taking precautions to prevent the spread of disease among farm workers.
Dr. Ford highlighted the importance of continued surveillance efforts and collaboration with state agriculture departments to ensure that dairy farm workers are protected from exposure to bird flu. It’s important for consumers to stay informed about this developing story by following trusted sources like Local 3 News app for updates on this topic.
In summary, while cases of bird flu are on the rise across America with domestic and wild birds being major carriers; it’s important for people to be aware of their consumption habits especially when it comes to raw milk consumption which could lead them into an illness caused by this virus; surveillance efforts are underway while wastewater testing continues across several states including Tennessee where certified dairy farms remain at low risk due to their absence; however over 170 certified dairy farms across TN actively monitoring situations and taking precautions against disease spread among workers.
