Bird flu found in cattle; experts warn of risks to humans, other mammals

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE H-5-N-1 VIRUS – ALSO KNOWN AS BIRD FLU – HAS MADE THE JUMP TO DAIRY COWS FOR THE FIRST TIME.

ACCORDING TO THE CDC – CURRENTLY, 8 STATES ARE EXPERIENCING BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS IN CATTLE, 48 ARE EXPERIENCING BIRD FLU OUTBREAKS IN POULTRY, AND 50 ARE EXPERIENCING BIRD FLU IN WILD BIRDS.

SO, WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN FOR HUMANS?

THE CDC SAYS – CURRENTLY BIRD FLU RISK TO HUMANS REMAINS LOW.

THE AGENCY SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN TWO HUMAN H5N1 CASES REPORTED IN THE U-S SINCE 2022.

EARLIER THIS MONTH – THE AGENCY REPORTED A TEXAS CATTLE FARMER CONTRACTED THE VIRUS AFTER COMING INTO CLOSE CONTACT WITH AN INFECTED DAIRY COW.

THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF BOVINE PRACTITIONERS REALLY DOESN’T WANT BIRD FLU AFFECTING ITS BOTTOM LINE AND HURTING IT’S BUSINESS.

THE ASSOCIATION – COMPRISED OF HUNDREDS OF CATTLE VETERINARIANS – SAID  IT WANTS PEOPLE TO PEOPLE STOP USING THE TERMINOLOGY “BIRD FLU IN CATTLE.”

THE ORGANIZATION RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING H5N1 FOUND IN DAIRY COWS SHOULDN’T BE CONSIDERED “BIRD FLU IN CATTLE” BECAUSE “THE DISEASE SYNDROME IN CATTLE DOES NOT CAUSE HIGH MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY AS IT DOES IN BIRDS.”

HOWEVER – THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION CHIEF IS SOUNDING THE ALARM CALLING BIRD FLU IN CATTLE “AN ENORMOUS CONCERN” AS THE VIRUS EVOLVES AND INCREASINGLY GETS CLOSER TO HUMANS BY INFECTING OTHER MAMMALS.  

SCIENTISTS AT THE W-H-O SAY – RIGHT NOW – H5N1 DOESN’T SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON BUT – WITH THE VIRUS CHANGING – THEY’RE WORRIED ABOUT HOW DEADLY BIRD FLU CAN BE FOR HUMANS.

ACCORDING TO THE AGENCY – SINCE 2003, THERE’VE BEEN 889 HUMAN CASES OF H5N1 AND OF THOSE – 463 PEOPLE DIED – GIVING THE VIRUS A 52% FATALITY RATE IN HUMANS.

INFECTIOUS DISEASE EXPERTS SAY THE DISEASE HAS PANDEMIC POTENTIAL – AS BIRD FLU JUMPS TO MORE MAMMALS AND COULD MUTATE TO INFECT MORE HUMANS.

IF THAT HAPPENS – THE W-H-O SAYS IT HAS A TEMPLATE TO MAKE A VACCINE TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD – SHOULD THE NEED ARISE.

H5N1 WAS FIRST DETECTED IN BIRDS IN 1996 – AND HAS INFECTED AND KILLED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF BIRDS ACROSS THE WORLD.

IT’S ALSO INFECTED MAMMALS LIKE SQUIRRELS, POLAR BEARS, SKUNKS, SEA LIONS – AND NOW DAIRY COWS.

THE CDC RECOMMENDS PEOPLE AVOID CONSUMING RAW OR UNDERCOOKED FOOD – AND TO STEER CLEAR OF RAW MILK AND CHEESE.