A bird flu outbreak linked to raw milk products has been reported in California, with 58 human cases confirmed in seven states. The H5N1 strain has caused mild symptoms in Americans, but experts warn of the risks associated with raw milk consumption.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that there is no evidence of person-to-person transmission of bird flu, and the risk to the general public is low. However, health officials are monitoring the outbreak closely and advising people to be aware of risks from exposure to infected animals and drinking raw milk.
Raw milk products have been found to contain fragments of the H5N1 virus, but pasteurization inactivates the live virus. Nevertheless, the Food and Drug Administration has warned of elevated risks of foodborne illness associated with drinking raw, unpasteurized milk.
As of Thursday, 32 cases in California have been confirmed, with almost all cases having direct contact with infected cattle or livestock. Health experts stress that exposure to raw milk without proper protection poses a “high-risk” risk exposure event.
While there is currently no recommendation for vaccination against bird flu, health officials are taking proactive measures to prevent potential transmission. The World Health Organization has launched an initiative to develop a human bird flu vaccine using messenger RNA technology.
For now, the US is not experiencing a bird flu pandemic, but experts caution that the virus could mutate and enable human-to-human transmission in the future. With winter approaching, health officials are also concerned about the potential for seasonal flu viruses to interact with bird flu.
Source: https://abcnews.go.com/Health/updates-bird-flu-outbreak-now-linked-raw-milk/story?id=116479974