The state health officials in California have reported the detection of the bird flu virus in a retail sample of raw milk from a dairy located in Fresno. The sample, obtained at a store, tested positive during routine screening conducted by Santa Clara County health officers on November 21, as confirmed by the state Department of Public Health on Sunday.
In response to the positive test result, the dairy, Raw Farm, has issued a voluntary recall for one batch of cream top, whole raw milk with a best buy date of November 27. Consumers who have purchased this product are advised to return any remaining portions to the store where it was bought, as stated by the state health department.
It is important to note that pasteurized milk remains safe for consumption, according to the department. However, the recent confirmation of bird flu in a California child, the first reported case in a minor in the U.S., has raised concerns.
The affected child exhibited mild symptoms, received antiviral medication, and is currently in the process of recovery, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC has documented a total of 55 bird flu cases in the U.S. this year, with 29 cases reported in California. The majority of these cases involved farmworkers who tested positive for the virus but displayed mild symptoms.
H5N1 bird flu has been observed to be spreading extensively among wild birds, poultry, and various other animals in the U.S. over the past few years. The virus was first detected in U.S. dairy cattle in March, with California emerging as the epicenter of the outbreak, recording 402 infected herds since August.
