Killer bird flu is found in milk for first time in “very high concentrations”, WHO warns

BIRD flu has been detected at “very excessive concentrations” in milk, well being officers have revealed.

The World Well being Organisation (WHO) mentioned on Friday that chook flu, also referred to as H5N1, has been present in uncooked cow milk within the US.

Pasteurised milk present in supermarkets – which has been processed to kill dangerous micro organism – continues to be secure to drink, well being officers have mentioned.

H5N1 first emerged in 1996, however since 2020, the variety of chook outbreaks has grown exponentially, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of untamed birds and poultry the world over.

It has additionally began to leap to different mammals, together with people, cats, bears, foxes, mink and penguins.

Cows have been added to that ever-growing checklist this earlier month,

The US reported H5N1 infections in dairy herds and since then, instances have been confirmed or are below investigation in eight states – Texas, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina and South Dakota.

US authorities earlier this month mentioned an individual engaged on a dairy farm in Texas was recovering from chook flu after being uncovered to cattle.

Dr Wenqing Zhang, head of the WHO’s world influenza program, mentioned: “The case in Texas is the primary case of a human contaminated by avian influenza by a cow.

“Hen-to-cow, cow-to-cow and cow-to-bird transmission have additionally been registered throughout these present outbreaks, which recommend that the virus could have discovered different routes of transition than we beforehand understood.

“Now we see a number of herds of cows affected in an rising variety of US states, which reveals an additional step of the virus spillover to mammals.

Dr Zhang mentioned there was a “very excessive virus focus in uncooked milk” from contaminated cows, however specialists have been nonetheless investigating precisely how lengthy the virus can survive in milk.

The Texas Well being Division has mentioned the cattle infections don’t concern the business milk provide, as dairies are required to destroy milk from sick cows.

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Pasteurisation additionally kills the virus.

“It’s important for individuals to make sure secure meals practices, together with consuming solely pasteurized milk and milk merchandise,” Dr Zhang mentioned.

Loss of life in Vietnam, Brits informed to be cautious

It comes after a 21-year-old in Vietnam died of the extremely pathogenic avian influenza pressure H5N1 after going wild chook trapping.

Nevertheless, investigations discovered no proof of sick or useless birds within the space he visited.

At the very least 887 individuals have been contaminated with chook flu up to now 20 years – and 462 of those died.

5 of those instances have been reported within the UK.

In authorities steerage issued final month, Brits have been suggested to remain no less than two meters away from wild birds due to chook flu fears.

Individuals ought to keep away from all contact with wild birds, which incorporates pigeons, swans, and seagulls, UK Well being Safety Company (UKHSA) officers mentioned.

To this point, there isn’t a proof that H5N1 is spreading between people.

Nevertheless, specialists worry the sheer scale of the present unfold might give the virus extra alternatives to evolve, enabling H5N1 to higher unfold between mammals – and doubtlessly people.

As for potential vaccines, if required, Dr Zhang mentioned there have been some within the pipeline.

“Having candidate vaccine viruses prepared permits us to be ready to rapidly produce vaccines for people if this turns into obligatory,” she mentioned.

“For this explicit H5N1 virus detected in dairy cows, there are a few candidate vaccine viruses accessible.”

She mentioned that within the case of a pandemic, shut to twenty influenza vaccines are licensed for pandemic use, they usually may very well be tailor-made to the precise virus pressure in circulation.