According to a World Health Organization official on Tuesday, there is a chance that cows migrating outside of the United States could contract the H5N1 bird flu virus, which is prevalent in many wild birds.
Following the discovery of the H5N1 virus in 34 dairy cattle herds across nine states since late March and in one individual in Texas, US authorities are attempting to establish the safety of milk and meat.
During a news conference in Geneva, Wenqing Zhang, the head of WHO’s Global Influenza Programme, stated that “there is definitely a risk for cows in other countries to get infected with the virus because it is carried around the world by migratory birds.”
Although it has seldom affected cows, the virus is common among wild birds in the United States and can occasionally infect poultry, even outdoor cats. Zhang restated that the U.N. agency believes the virus poses little overall danger to public health but urged caution, particularly among farm workers.
Zhang reiterated the WHO’s long-standing recommendation only to drink pasteurized milk, even though it is believed that the virus cannot spread through milk.
Zhang responded that the international organization has received regular updates on the outbreak and applauded the decision to release the genetic code of the virus ahead of schedule when asked to rate U.S. transparency on the matter.
Also Read:
UAE attests to Perrier Drinking Water’s Safety.
In Kerala, Two People Pass Away as a Heatwave scalds Portions of India.
