Another dairy worker has been infected with Avian Flu. The virus has hit 52 dairy cow herds across 9 states. Tests have also revealed live Avian Flu virus in some raw milk. Because the virus has spread so widely among farms, the CDC said that additional human cases may emerge among dairy workers. The immediate risk to the general public remains low because most dairy products undergo a heat-treatment process called pasteurization. Pasteurization kills most viruses and tests have only found inactive bits of the virus in commercially sold milk.
However, experts warn that our current system of factoring farming is not sustainable for our food supply, economy, or health. Leaders in the fields of infectious disease and agriculture have also called for enhanced safety measures to control the spread of disease on farms. The longer we allow Avian Flu to mix and mutate among livestock, the more likely the virus develops the ability to efficiently spread to humans.
