Oklahoma has detected bird flu in a herd of dairy cattle, the state's agriculture department said on Friday, making it the 13th U.S. state to find the virus.
Public health officials in Colorado on Wednesday announced an adult man had tested positive for avian flu after reporting mild symptoms, including conjunctivitis, or pink eye.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture will soon begin compensating dairy farmers for the loss of milk supply due to bird flu-infected cows, the agency said on Thursday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has begun testing more dairy products for evidence of the bird flu virus as outbreaks spread among dairy herds across the country.
Results of a national testing program conducted by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) released June 18 showed no evidence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in the country’s milk supply. "Commercially sold milk and milk products remain safe to consume," said a release from the CFIA and the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). It was also noted that even if traces of the virus were found, the pasteurization process would have rendered them harmless.
On June 17, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency updated their guidance for private veterinarians on highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI). The update noted the expanded eligibility for testing, and that the CFIA would cover lab test fees at any Canadian Animal Health Surveillance Network (CAHSN) lab that is approved to test samples in domestic animals. The agency will not, however, pay veterinarian fees for sample collection or shipment to the lab.
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