Milk Supply to Undergo Expanded Testing for Bird Flu in US Starting December 16

The current outbreak of bird flu in the US has led to significant concerns about the spread of the virus in dairy cattle, with over 500 dairy herds infected in California alone. This has resulted in a total of nearly 60 human cases since April, although CDC officials have stated that the risk to the general public is low. In response, the USDA has ordered dairy operators handling raw milk for pasteurization to provide samples for avian influenza testing upon request. This will involve initial testing in six states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania. The agriculture department claims that this will enable them to monitor the virus in dairy cattle more effectively.