The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say the threat of bird flu to the public is currently low, even though there’s been an increase in cases among commercial and wild bird populations across the country. However, concerns are growing about a new variant called D1.1, which is believed to infect mammals.
The emergence of the D1.1 strain has raised red flags because of two serious human infections reported in North America, one of which was fatal. This variant has also shown up in cows that came in contact with infected birds, suggesting that the virus might be harder to contain and increases the risk for dairy workers. Although the CDC insists that the chance of the virus spreading to our food supply is minimal, they recommend avoiding raw milk as a precaution.
“Raw milk doesn’t go through the pasteurization process, which is known to kill bacteria and viruses.” said Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at Cleveland Clinic. “There is the potential for transmission with raw milk products.”
Regulatory bodies like the U.S. Department of Agriculture are also on alert, making sure poultry products are safe. To help mitigate risks, farmers are advised to keep domestic birds away from wild ones and to maintain cleanliness in their facilities.
