Highly pathogenic avian influenza has been detected in a dairy herd in North Carolina, bringing to seven the number of states where the virus has been found in dairy cattle. The other states are Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, New Mexico and Ohio.
North Carolina officials are barring the movement of cattle from affected herds in those states to North Carolina, becoming the 18th state to tighten import rules in some fashion, according to the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, citing the New Mexico Livestock Board.
The number of affected herds is now 21 in the affected states.
The North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Wednesday that the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories had detected the virus.
Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said, “This is an evolving situation, and we are waiting for more diagnostics from NVSL and will work collaboratively with our federal partners and dairy farmers in North Carolina.”
“We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation. It is important to note the FDA has no concern about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide.”
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The state’s Department of Health and Human Services said it is “in close communication on this matter” with the state ag department. “Both agencies believe the overall risk to the general public remains low. There are no concerns with the safety of the commercial milk supply at this time because products are pasteurized before entering the market. People should not consume or prepare food with raw or unpasteurized milk.”
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