The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed that the H5N1 bird flu virus is spreading among dairy cows in the United States, primarily through contaminated milking equipment and human contact, not through direct cow-to-cow transmission.
The virus, found mainly in the udders, is believed to spread via milk droplets left on gloves, clothing, or unclean milking machines. As of now, infections have been confirmed in herds across six states. The initial source may be a single farm, with the virus spreading through cattle transportation networks.
The FDA has assured that pasteurized milk is safe for consumption, but advised avoiding raw milk and raw milk products. No mass culling orders have been issued yet, but experts are recommending restrictions on cattle movement to prevent further spread.
Research is ongoing to determine how the virus jumped from birds to cows, and authorities are closely monitoring the situation to contain the outbreak.
