The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) (H5N1) virus in two additional dairy herds in North Carolina and South Dakota. The USDA has now confirmed HPAI in dairy cattle in eight states. Additionally, at least 18 states have restricted cattle movement: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association. Rules vary by state.
Federal and state authorities maintain that the virus poses a low risk to people and consumers, that pasteurized milk and dairy products remain safe to consume, and that dairy producers should continue to remain vigilant about advanced biosecurity on farms. Earlier this week, the World Health Organization also assessed “the public health risk to the general population posed by this virus to be low and for occupationally exposed persons, the risk of infection is considered low-to-moderate.”
IDFA continues to support a coordinated response from the federal government led by USDA, including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), state governments, state and national dairy groups, veterinary associations, and other organizations across the country.
IDFA has established a resource page with important information, links, and updates here: www.idfa.org/hpai.