USDA detects second bird flu strain in dairy cows
NBCFeb 08
New Bird Flu Strain Found in Nevada Dairy Cows
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Above: Cows graze in a field in Petaluma, Calif. Image copyright: Justin Sullivan/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced Wednesday that it has detected a new variant of H5N1 bird flu (genotype D1.1) in Nevada dairy cattle.
This marks the second distinct spillover from birds to cows, but it's different from the B3.13 strain that has infected more than 950 herds across 16 states since last year.
The D1.1 variant was discovered through milk testing surveillance and was previously linked to severe human cases, including the first US bird flu death in Louisiana and a critically ill teenager in January.
The Spin
Narrative A
This is an escalation of the US avian influenza outbreak and shows how easily another virus can surface after one is contained. This will potentially make it harder to control and eliminate the virus from dairy herds, which may be more susceptible to the virus than previously thought. It also increases the risks for farm workers.
Narrative B
The risk to the general public remains low, and current surveillance and testing strategies are working as intended. The National Milk Testing Strategy is successfully identifying new threats before they become widespread and the federal government and local officials will continue to work to contain the situation.
