Up to a fifth of US milk supply could be infected with traces of bird flu

Dairy cows pictured in 2016

One in five retail samples of commercial milk has traces of bird flu, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said this week.

The avian flu was first detected in Texas herds in March — and it has since been found in more than three dozen herds in eight states, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

“The agency continues to analyze this information; however, the initial results show about 1 in 5 of the retail samples tested are…positive…with a greater proportion of positive results coming from milk in areas with infected herds,” the FDA said.

Now, President Joe Biden’s administration is reiterating that milk is still safe to consume.

“To date, the retail milk studies have shown no results that would change our assessment that the commercial milk supply is safe,” the FDA said.

Now, dairy cattle moving between states have to be tested for the virus to control the growing outbreak. Every lactating cow must now be tested and receive a negative result before moving across state lines. The herds known to carry the virus are located in Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Dakota.

Egg producers are also on high alert after chickens tested positive for the virus in Texas and Michigan. Officials have killed millions of birds and the FDA maintains the risk of human infection is still low.

The symptoms of bird flu in humans range from no symptoms to severe symptoms, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). These symptoms can include fever, fatigue, and difficulty breathing. Less common symptoms include diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures, the CDC said.

More to come…

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