The US Department of Agriculture will begin testing milk supplies nationwide for the bird flu virus H5N1, nearly a year after its detection in dairy cattle. The new strategy requires farmers and dairy processors to provide samples of raw milk on request, while farm owners with infected herds must report details to help identify more cases.
The move comes amid criticism from experts who argue that mandatory testing is necessary to control the spread of the virus. The US has reported 720 infected herds in 15 states, and at least 58 people, mostly farm workers, have been infected. Testing will begin in six initial states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
The Agriculture Department aims to expand testing beyond these states to gauge the spread of the virus across the country. Officials hope that this new strategy will give farmers and farmworkers confidence in the safety of their animals and help control the outbreak nationwide. However, it is unclear whether the incoming Trump administration will continue the program.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/06/health/usda-bird-flu-milk-testing.html