The Discovery Of High Levels Of H5N1 Avian Flu In Cow Milk Detected Was Followed By WHO Alert:
The current case at the United States with bird flu virus spreading to cattle is standing as the challenge. Studies, as they have been confirmed, about at least 13 herds in six states have been found to be infected with the virus. The states which are directly impacted are Texas, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Dakota.
The current situation poses a threat to the US public health. In a recent publication, the World Health Organization (WHO) pinpointed H5N1 avian influenza infection in the raw cow milk of certain states in the US that has exceeded high levels. Public health experts have underlined that industrially produced and thus, pasteurized milk is generally safe for human consumption as the pasteurizing process successfully kills the bacteria that are unsafe. To date the H5N1 – a virus that made its first appearance in 1996 – has witnessed a sharp rise in its outbreaks since 2020 leading to the demise of millions of wild birds and poultry all over the world. Surprisingly, the virus has been capturing various mammals' species alone, including human cats, bears, foxes, mink, and penguin.
Cows and goats were found to be vulnerable to the virus strain just like other animals, and this reality belted a shock to scientists who had assumed these animals are immune to that flu strain. Cattle in 13 herds on six states have been devastated by the disease based on the recent report on New York Times. The very first cases of sick cows were found in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina, and South Dakota. The death of some birds at some farms was found in association with the manifestation of the disease.
The head of the WHO's Influenza Program, Dr. Wenqing Zhang, has expressed concern at the transmission routes that are seen in these outbreaks. He mentioned, "We record a bird-to-cow, cow-to-cow, and cow-to-bird outbreaks in the region. This clearly suggests that the virus may have discovered other transmission pathways not known before."
However, as the viral infection has often occurred in raw milk from infected cows with the precise mechanisms remaining unclear, the viability of such diseases is currently being at the focus of the investigation of experts. The Texas Health Department has made a statement to the public that only the dairy products that are coming from the cows that are not infected with the disease can be supplied commercially, and the milk from discarded cows is not allowed in the market. The doctor mentioned the issue of food safety and recommended that children and babies should be exclusively given breast milk and avoid drinking raw milk.
You may experience bird flu symptoms rapidly. These include high fever, body aches, a headache, coughing, shortness of breath, diarrhea, nausea, stomach pain, chest pain, gum bleeding, and nosebleed among others.
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