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The first positive cases were confirmed in Iowa and Minnesota, and avian influenza outbreaks in dairy cows now span 11 states.
The detection further signals the spread of the virus in the United States, where bird flu has been confirmed in more than 80 flocks across the country. Three farm workers The virus test came back positiveThis includes one person who reported respiratory symptoms.
The case announced Wednesday, pending final confirmatory testing, was detected in northwestern O’Brien County, which borders Sioux County, where an egg farm was recently located, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The worst epidemic Over a period of about two years, 4.2 million birds were affected.
“Given the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza among dairy cows in many other states and the size of Iowa’s dairy industry, it is not surprising that this case occurred,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “USDA teams are preparing for this possibility and will soon be announcing additional steps to protect cows and herds.”
In Minnesota, authorities First confirmed positive case in dairy cow After more than 40 cattle in a Benton County herd showed signs of fever, officials said only a handful of cattle showed clinical signs over the weekend, with symptoms spreading to dozens of cattle in a single day.
Like Iowa, Minnesota has seen an increase in avian flu cases in chicken farms, with eight sites testing positive for the virus in May. Tests at some of these facilities found that the birds were infected with the same strain of the virus found in dairy cows.
“It is important that dairy farmers follow the example of this herd and test sick cows,” Minnesota state veterinarian Dr. Brian Hofs said in a statement. “The more our animal health community learns today about this virus through testing and research, the better prepared we will be to prevent infections tomorrow.”
Federal and state officials are racing to contain the spread as scientists remain vigilant about mutations that suggest the virus is adapting to spread more easily among humans. The Department of Agriculture said this week: Another $824 million in emergency funding In response to the virus, the department has also launched a testing program to better track the spread of the infection among dairy farmers.
Other strains of bird flu have infected humans in other parts of the world, with Mexico reporting its first outbreak on Wednesday. The first fatal accident in history The virus is related to the H2N2 subtype and is distinct from the strain affecting dairy herds in the U.S. The World Health Organization has noted cases have been reported in poultry in Mexico, but the source of infection is unknown as the man had no history of working with livestock.
The U.S. has urged farms to quickly implement biosecurity measures to protect their operations, but public health officials say the risk the virus poses to the general public remains low. National Institutes of Health this week Mice that ingested the contaminated raw milk showed signs of illness, suggesting that drinking raw milk may pose a risk of infection for humans.
Editor’s note: This story has been thoroughly updated to include that Minnesota has reported its first case of avian influenza in a dairy herd.
