The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an open letter urging states to enhance measures to protect the public from the risks associated with raw milk contaminated with the H5N1 bird flu virus.
The FDA recommends that states intensify public awareness efforts regarding the dangers of consuming raw milk and conduct testing on dairy herds that produce it for sale. The agency also advises states to utilize their regulatory powers to halt the sale of raw milk within affected areas.
As of the latest reports, 82 herds in the US have tested positive for the H5N1 virus, with Minnesota becoming the 10th state to report infected herds.
While the FDA prohibits the interstate sale of raw milk, some states permit its sale for human consumption within their borders under specific conditions. However, the agency stresses that raw milk can contain high levels of the H5N1 virus due to cows being infected through their udders.
Although it is uncertain whether bird flu can be transmitted to humans through contaminated milk, incidents of cats and dairy workers contracting the virus have been reported. The FDA emphasizes the importance of minimizing human and animal exposure to the H5N1 virus.
In addition to the bird flu risk, raw milk consumption can lead to various health issues such as illness, miscarriages, stillbirths, kidney failure, and even death.
The FDA is calling on states to monitor dairy cattle herds for signs of illness indicating H5N1 infection, dispose of milk from sick cows safely, and pasteurize any raw milk products from exposed cattle. States are also urged to conduct surveillance testing for the presence of the H5N1 virus in dairy herds producing raw milk and report findings to regulatory agencies.
The FDA plans to share new research and data on the bird flu virus in raw milk and its products in the near future.
