NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday announced that the H5N1 bird flu virus strain had been found in significant quantities in raw milk from infected animals , though the duration of the virus's survival in milk remains unknown.
Earlier in 1996, Avian influenza A(H5N1) initially surfaced, but since 2020, there has been a remarkable surge in outbreaks among birds, with an increasing number of mammals also falling victim to the disease. This has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of poultry, along with infections in wild birds, as well as land and marine mammals.
Last month, cows and goats were added to the list of affected animals, surprising experts who previously didn't consider them susceptible to this strain of influenza. The outbreak of bird flu in cow has affected at least 13 herds in six states, as per the New York Times.
The reports of sick cows began to emerge in Texas and New Mexico. Dead birds were also found on some of these farms, and laboratory testing confirmed that some cows were infected with bird flu.
Earlier this month, US authorities reported a case of a person recovering from bird flu after exposure to infected cattle on a Texas dairy farm.
"The case in Texas is the first case of a human infected by avian influenza by a cow," said Wenqing Zhang, head of the global influenza programme at the World Health Organization.
"Bird-to-cow, cow-to-cow and cow-to-bird transmission have also been registered during these current outbreaks, which suggest that the virus may have found other routes of transition than we previously understood," she told a media briefing in Geneva.
This incident marks only the second case of human infection with bird flu in the United States, following illnesses in herds apparently exposed to wild birds.
"Now we see multiple herds of cows affected in an increasing number of US states, which shows a further step of the virus spillover to mammals," Zhang said.
"The virus has also been detected in milk from infected animals."
Zhang said there was a "very high virus concentration in raw milk", but experts were still investigating exactly how long the virus is able to survive in milk.
The Texas health department assured that infected cattle do not pose a threat to the commercial milk supply since dairies are mandated to discard milk from sick cows, and pasteurization effectively kills the virus.
"It is important for people to ensure safe food practices, including consuming only pasteurised milk and milk products," said Zhang.
(With inputs from agency)
Earlier in 1996, Avian influenza A(H5N1) initially surfaced, but since 2020, there has been a remarkable surge in outbreaks among birds, with an increasing number of mammals also falling victim to the disease. This has resulted in the deaths of tens of millions of poultry, along with infections in wild birds, as well as land and marine mammals.
Last month, cows and goats were added to the list of affected animals, surprising experts who previously didn't consider them susceptible to this strain of influenza. The outbreak of bird flu in cow has affected at least 13 herds in six states, as per the New York Times.
The reports of sick cows began to emerge in Texas and New Mexico. Dead birds were also found on some of these farms, and laboratory testing confirmed that some cows were infected with bird flu.
Earlier this month, US authorities reported a case of a person recovering from bird flu after exposure to infected cattle on a Texas dairy farm.
"The case in Texas is the first case of a human infected by avian influenza by a cow," said Wenqing Zhang, head of the global influenza programme at the World Health Organization.
"Bird-to-cow, cow-to-cow and cow-to-bird transmission have also been registered during these current outbreaks, which suggest that the virus may have found other routes of transition than we previously understood," she told a media briefing in Geneva.
This incident marks only the second case of human infection with bird flu in the United States, following illnesses in herds apparently exposed to wild birds.
"Now we see multiple herds of cows affected in an increasing number of US states, which shows a further step of the virus spillover to mammals," Zhang said.
"The virus has also been detected in milk from infected animals."
Zhang said there was a "very high virus concentration in raw milk", but experts were still investigating exactly how long the virus is able to survive in milk.
The Texas health department assured that infected cattle do not pose a threat to the commercial milk supply since dairies are mandated to discard milk from sick cows, and pasteurization effectively kills the virus.
"It is important for people to ensure safe food practices, including consuming only pasteurised milk and milk products," said Zhang.
(With inputs from agency)
