In Los Angeles County, the public health department is investigating the deaths of two cats that reportedly consumed recalled raw milk.
Health officials are considering these “suspected H5 bird flu cases” and confirmatory testing is underway.
Cats can contract bird flu by consuming infected birds or other animals or drinking raw milk from infected cows, according to health officials.
Meanwhile, at the Wildlife World Zoo in Maricopa County, Arizona, a few resident animals have reportedly died after becoming infected with bird flu.
Local reports stated that a cheetah, a mountain lion, a swamphen, an Indian goose and a kookaburra died as a result of bird flu, according to a zoo official.
days following the U. S. A new order from the USDA mandates that all raw (unpasteurized) milk be tested for bird flu after reports of animal deaths from the virus surfaced.
The public health agency in Los Angeles County is looking into the deaths of two cats who may have eaten tainted raw milk.
According to a news release from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the cats’ symptoms after consuming the milk included fever, lack of appetite, and neurological problems.
Several US states have reported bird flu outbreaks, with some saying it’s “getting worse.”.
The release said, “The infected cats tested positive for influenza A, a rare result in cats, and died after their illness severely worsened.”.
Confirmatory testing is being done on these “suspected H5 bird flu cases” that health officials are taking into consideration.
According to health officials, cats can get bird flu by eating infected birds or other animals or by consuming raw milk from infected cows.
Cats can spread influenza strains to people, but this hasn’t happened in the current H5 bird flu outbreak, according to reports.
Health officials warn that the flu vaccination rates among US children are “concerningly” low.
Dr. Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, stated in the release that “this suspected case of the virus in a pet cat that consumed raw milk is a reminder that consuming raw dairy products can lead to severe illness in cats,” even though the risk of H5 bird flu in Los Angeles County is still low.
“We strongly advise residents and their pets to limit contact with sick or dead animals, report sick or dead birds, keep pets or poultry away from wild animals and birds, and avoid raw dairy and undercooked meat products in order to prevent the spread of disease, including H5 bird flu. “..”.
For more information, Fox News Digital contacted the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Meanwhile, some of the resident animals at Maricopa County, Arizona’s Wildlife World Zoo have reportedly passed away due to bird flu.
A zoo official said that a kookaburra, a mountain lion, a swamphen, an Indian goose, and a cheetah had all perished from bird flu, according to local reports.
Another confirmed infected white tiger “appeared to be responding to treatment,” according to the report.
According to authorities, deadly virus samples vanished from the lab in a “major biosecurity breach.”.
In a press release this week, health officials said, “The Maricopa County Department of Public Health (MCDPH) is collaborating closely with state and federal partners to address the discovery of avian influenza in a limited number of animals that are a part of a zoo collection in Litchfield Park.”.
“The general risk to the general public and zoo visitors is still minimal. “..”.
On Friday, a zoo official gave Fox News Digital an update.
According to the spokesperson, “thankfully, we are nine days out without anymore positive cases.”. Additionally, there haven’t been any confirmed cases of avian influenza among our volunteers or staff. “..”.
With over 6,000 animals, we are thankful that the impact was minimal because of our prompt response and strong procedures, even though we are all devastated by the loss of five beloved animals. “..”.
“The loss of five beloved animals has hit us all hard. “,”.
Several U.S. states have also reported ongoing outbreaks among wild birds, dairy cattle, poultry, and waterfowl. S. . states.
The animal deaths are “continued signs” that the H5N1 situation in the United States is getting worse, according to Sam Scarpino, PhD, director of AI and life sciences at Northeastern University in Boston. S. is “deteriorating, not improving.”. “.
He told Fox News Digital, “The reported infections in humans and now domestic cats due to their consumption of raw milk also highlights how dangerous for people to consume raw milk.”.
We need to take action to better manage the spread of H5N1 in dairy cows and comprehend how it’s moving from one U.S. state to another. S. . “,”.
According to studies, a single mutation could greatly increase its contagiousness in humans. “,”.
Dr. H5N1 has been discovered in “relatively high concentrations” in raw milk, according to Jacob Glanville, CEO of Centivax, a biotechnology company based in San Francisco.
He told Fox News Digital that “the virus remains viable in the milk without pasteurizing it and could potentially infect someone who drinks it.”.
Since we haven’t observed a rash of H5N1 infections from people who drink raw milk, it’s not a very common occurrence, but the virus is evolving and could pose a threat. “..”.
Despite the fact that the majority of cows have only experienced mild infection, Glanville observed that the strain has been “highly virulent” in ferrets, primates, and birds.
“Research suggests that a single mutation could greatly increase its contagiousness in humans,” he stated.
Glanville continued, “Avoiding raw milk is strongly advised due to the virus’s capacity to infect mucosal membranes and persist in milk, as well as the possibility of a pandemic.”.
Go to www.foxnews.com/health for additional health-related articles.
In order to stop the spread of dangerous pathogens that are frequently present in raw milk, the expert also underlined how important it is to only consume pasteurized milk.
