The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Monday, March 25, confirmed the presence of bird flu in dairy cattle in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico.
According to The Guardian, milk from dairy cows in Kansas and Texas has tested positive for avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu.
It is the first time that bird flu has been found in livestock.
US health officials have confirmed that the commercial milk supply of the country is safe.
As per the New York Times report, the Department of Agriculture said in a statement, “At this stage, there is no concern about the safety of the commercial milk supply or that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health.”
Influenza expert Stacey L. Schultz-Cherry said, “There’s still no cause to panic. It just looks like it’s another spillover event due to contact with diseased wild birds.”
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said these viruses usually 'did not infect humans.'
The Texas Animal Health Commission has confirmed that the flu virus is of 'A H5N1' type.
As per officials, older cows in Texas, Kansas, and New Mexico are affected by the virus.
The symptoms of bird flu observed in the affected cows include loss of appetite, changes in manure consistency, and a drop in milk production.
Milk from the sick animals is being destroyed or diverted.
