The Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) is requiring dairy farmers to test milk produced from their cows for the bird flu following reports that nearly four dozen livestock herds in the state have been infected by a strain of the H5N1 virus.
"We have been navigating this challenging, novel outbreak of HPAI [Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza] in dairy operations for nearly three months in Colorado and have not been able to curb the spread of the disease at this point," State Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Baldwin said Tuesday in a news release. "We have seen devastating impacts of this disease not only to our dairy industry, but our poultry industry as well. With the strong support of the dairy and poultry industries, we feel that it this is the best next step in order to protect these vital industries in our state."
Although health officials contend the threat to humans is low, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data showed more than 100 million cases of bird flu have been detected in U.S. wild aquatic birds, commercial poultry, and backyard or hobbyist flocks since the outbreak began in January 2022.
There have been 11 humans diagnosed with the bird flu since the outbreak began, according to the CDC. Four were related to exposure to infected dairy cows and seven related to exposure to infected poultry. None were hospitalized.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showed the bird flu has affected a total of 508 commercial flocks in 48 states, as well as 662 backyard or hobbyist flocks.
In March, the USDA confirmed the detection of bird flu in dairy cattle in the Texas Panhandle region, the CDA said. The virus has spread to 13 states, impacting 169 livestock herds, CDC data showed. There have been 47 herds affected in Colorado, the most in the U.S. Dairy cattle infected with the virus appear to recover with supportive care.
The spread of the current strain went from cow-to-cow and farm-to-farm, the CDA said. Unlike previous outbreaks, the virus is not being spread by wild birds.
"We appreciate the ongoing cooperation and partnership with both the poultry and dairy industries," said Colorado Agricultural Commissioner Kate Greenberg in the news release. "Mandatory surveillance of highly pathogenic avian influenza across all of Colorado's Grade A commercial dairies is a crucial next step to tamping down the virus and protecting the food system."
About 95 million chickens, turkeys, and other poultry have been killed and disposed of because of the bird flu since February 2022, according to USDA data obtained by Reuters.
Michael Katz ✉
Michael Katz is a Newsmax reporter with more than 30 years of experience reporting and editing on news, culture, and politics.
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