Bird flu is hitting the US like never before, with a new variant detected in dairy cattle, causing concerns among relevant authorities.
As per Associated press, US Department of Agriculture (USDA) shared on Wednesday, the virus identified in Nevada is different from the version that’s been spreading throughout the country.
The latest update indicates that distinct forms of the virus known as Type A H5N1 have came from wild birds into cattle at least twice.
This information also sparks concern for the wider spread of the virus, which could eventually affect people working closely with the animals.
While talking about the bird flu in dairy cow herds Richard Webby, an influenza expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital noted, "I always thought one bird-to-cow transmission was a very rare event. Seems that may not be the case."
H5N1 bird flu type known as B3.13 was confirmed in March after being introduced in late 2023, which infected more than 950 herds in 16 states.
The newest version, D1.1 was verified in Nevada's cattle on Friday, according to USDA, after being detected in milk collected as part of a surveillance program launched in December.
"Now we know why it’s really important to test and continue testing," said Angela Rasmussen, a virus expert at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada.
The D1.1 was the type linked to the first US death tied to bird flu and a severe illness in Canada.
At least 67 people in the US have been infected with bird flu, most of whom work closely with dairy or cattle as per US CDC.
