The U.S. government on Friday ordered dairy testing nationwide for bird flu in order to better monitor the spread of the virus in dairy cows.
The Ministry of Agriculture said that raw or unpasteurized milk from dairy farms and processing centers across the country must be tested upon request from December 16. Testing will begin in 6 states: California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
Officials said the move aims to “contain and ultimately eliminate the virus,” known as AH5N1, which was first detected in March in dairy cows in the United States. Since then, more than 700 people have been confirmed infected. Herd in the United States in 15 states.
“This will give farmers and farmworkers better confidence in the safety of their animals and their ability to protect themselves, and will put us on a path to quickly controlling the virus and stopping its spread across the country,” Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.
Health officials said that the risk of humans contracting bird flu is still low, as pasteurization, or heat treatment, kills the virus in milk and makes it safe to drink.