Bird flu, also known as H5N1, was found in several herds of cows in the USA across nine states as a person was confirmed to test positive, prompting an investigation
Beef sold in supermarkets is being tested for bird flu as the virus spread to cows for the first time.
H5N1 was recently discovered in dozens of herds and two studies are looking to determine if particles were found in meat for sale in the areas where it was found in cows. Another will test the response to cooking meat infected with the virus.
Bird flu first was first logged in 1996 and has killed millions of birds worldwide ever since. It has recently jumped to mammals including cats, foxes, penguins – and humans. The virus has not been found to spread between people.
In the most recent discovery in the US, the virus was found in dozens of herds in nine states and a person in Texas, the Sun reported. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is investigating. Last month a Vietnamese student who contracted bird flu passed away days after noticing a new cough. The 21-year-old was confirmed to have been infected with the highly pathogenic avian flu strain H5N1.
People in close contact with the student are being “monitored daily” in case they fall ill. Vietnam also recorded its first human case of the less deadly H9 avian flu in a 37-year-old male. Though less severe than H5N1, the man fell unwell on March 6 and had to be hospitalised a week later after developing pneumonia.
In April, Brits were warned to steer well clear of wild birds and to socially distance at least two metres away from them amid fears of a new pandemic. Government guidelines issued in March by the UK Heath Security Agency, which came into existence during the Covid-19 pandemic, state members of the public should be “minimising contact’ with birds in order to prevent catching diseases.
The guidelines say people should “keep your distance from wild birds as much as possible – aim to stay at least 2 metres away if you can”.
The advice, created with help from the RSPCA and Animal and Plant Health Agency, says people should also steer clear of animal droppings and dead birds. Avian influenza – or bird flu – is a risk to human health because it can infect and cause severe disease in people, although this is uncommon. The subtype G5N1 is an emerging virus that is causing global concern as it’s considered a potential pandemic threat.