Concerns regarding the avian flu virus have reached a fever pitch following its discovery in a Texas dairy herd earlier this year.

Since March, the virus has increased, affecting at least 36 cow herds across nine states, raising urgent questions about its implications for public health and safety.

In a recent report by the LA Times, investigative reporter Susanne Rust delved into the latest developments surrounding the avian flu outbreak and its intersection with raw milk consumption.

Rust sheds light on the unique nature of this particular strain of bird flu, which originated in China in the late 1990s and has since demonstrated unprecedented behavior, infecting not only birds but also mammals, including cattle.

What sets this strain apart is its ability to infect and kill marine mammals and, most alarmingly, cattle, a phenomenon previously unheard of with bird flu strains. While humans have been infected, the virus appears to reach a dead end in human hosts, with a significant mortality rate among those affected.

The main concern is the presence of the virus in dairy herds, where it has been detected in milk samples, including pasteurized milk.

Despite pasteurization’s efficacy in deactivating the virus, raw milk poses a grave risk, as evidenced by a cluster of cats in Texas that suffered fatal consequences after consuming contaminated raw milk.

While there have been no reported cases of infected dairy herds in California, researchers have identified concerning spikes in wastewater samples, indicating the possible presence of avian flu or a resurgence of seasonal flu. 

Watch the full interview above.

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