In late March, the H5N1 bird flu virus was discovered in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, South Dakota, Ohio and Texas. Farmers were instructed to discard milk from sick cows to keep the milk supply safe. However, the presence of the virus in commercial milk suggests that these measures were not entirely effective. The virus has caused millions of bird deaths and is known to be a deadly virus for humans.
Public health officials are concerned about the spread of bird flu as it can be highly deadly to humans. However, it does not spread easily from person to person. So far, only one person infected with the virus has been identified while 44 others are under active surveillance for potential infection. Cows that test positive for the virus must undergo a 30-day quarantine period before being tested again.
Despite mandatory pasteurization of milk in the US which kills any bacteria or virus, the presence of bird flu strain in milk products raises questions about how it survived the process. Bird flu is a viral disease that primarily affects birds but can also be transmitted to humans through contact with infected birds or contaminated meat and poultry products. Symptoms in humans are similar to regular flu and COVID-19 including fever, cough, sore throat, muscle pain, fatigue, diarrhea and vomiting. In severe cases it can lead to pneumonia, breathing difficulties and death especially in at-risk populations such as young children and pregnant women. Diagnosis is done using a PCR test on a nasal wash and treatment involves antiviral medications like Tamiflu and Relanza.
Overall safeguarding against the spread of H5N1 virus in both animals and humans is crucial to prevent further outbreaks and potential health risks
