Bird flu is increasingly affecting dairy cows across the United States.

Bird flu is increasingly affecting dairy cows across the United States.

The virus spreads via milking equipment.

Bird flu is increasingly affecting dairy cows across the United States. As of Friday, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that 339 farms in 14 states have confirmed cases since the outbreak was first identified in March of this year. Martin Beer, vice president of the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI) located on Reims Island near Greifswald, stated, “It's not brought to a level.”

 

Beer expressed concern, stating, "Regrettably, I do not observe any measures being implemented to swiftly address the ongoing situation." He highlighted the absence of thorough monitoring, noting, "The United States has approximately 25,000 dairy farms, yet I am uncertain about the number that have undergone inspection. It appears to be only a small percentage." In Colorado, extensive investigations are currently in progress, impacting around 60 out of nearly 300 companies.

 

Peer emphasized the need for closer collaboration on free traffic testing between companies. He suggested that measures like segregation or culling of animals should be implemented in the affected facilities. "From a purely combat perspective, insufficient action has been taken."

 

The H5N1 virus, which originates in animals and has the potential to infect humans, is still on the rise, according to the expert. The CDC reported that as of Friday, there have been 34 human cases documented in the U.S., primarily among workers in dairy and poultry farms, with most cases being mild. Fortunately, Beer noted that there are currently no indications that the virus is rapidly evolving to infect livestock or humans.

 

A research article by Beer in the journal "Nature" indicated that the virus is mainly spread via milk and predominantly through milking equipment. The transmission occurs through the udders of cattle. The FLI assesses that the likelihood of a virus variant present in the US making its way into German dairy farms is minimal.

 

In recent years, avian influenza has proliferated worldwide to an extraordinary degree. Australia remains the sole continent that has not been affected thus far. Last year, the H5N1 virus made its way to Antarctica, which is inhabited by numerous penguins and endangered marine species.