TWIN FALLS -- In October, cases of bird flu, H5N1, were running rampant through Washington and Oregon. Idaho has recorded the most cases amongst livestock than any other state in the region in the past year but has rarely tested its workers.
On Oct. 14, the first reported case of a second wave came from a large poultry farm in Franklin County, Washington. Avian flu was found in some of those chickens and later that week at least four workers had been infected with the virus.
One month later on Nov. 15, Oregon confirmed its first human case.
"There have been no documented human cases in the state of Idaho," said Amy Dillon, spokesperson for the South Central Public Health District (SCPHD), meaning that all Idaho-based tests for the avian flu over the past several months have come back negative.
Avian influenza, also known as bird flu or avian flu, is a type of flu that is contracted from birds and dairy cows. Symptoms can seem like a common flu.
In Cassia County, after the first cases were detected earlier this year in cattle, the SCPHD initialized an Incident Management Team to offer influenza testing to exposed workers and facilitate test shipments to the Idaho Bureau of Laboratories when done by private providers. The team also made personal protective equipment available to local dairies through the Idaho Dairy Association (IDA).
"The bulk of cases happened to dairies earlier this year," said Rick Naerebout, CEO of IDA. "Since then there have been 'a few one-off cases.'" He noted that many Hispanic adults are more likely to delay seeking medical care due to cost concerns.
"They are not the first ones to step forward and seek medical care," Naerebout told Times-News. "There's also a lot home remedies within the Hispanic community that they will typically utilize."
The CDC recommends monitoring symptoms if exposed to bird flu from infected animals or environments contaminated with it.
How does it affect cows?
Cows can be infected similarly to humans catching a cold—through direct contact or exposure to contaminated environments. California seems hardest hit with 475 dairy herds contracting bird flu.
"What California is going through right now, we went through seven to eight months ago," said Idaho State Veterinarian Scott Liebsle regarding outbreaks affecting cattle imported from Texas into Cassia County earlier this year.
Can you still consume dairy products?
Dairy products found in grocery stores are safe as pasteurization effectively kills viruses along with other disease-causing germs present within milk products according US Department Of Health And Human Services guidelines while FDA studies risks associated consuming unpasteurized/raw options further investigating potential transmission routes lacking evidence supporting infection occurrences via raw consumption methods thus far conducted three beef safety trials suggesting cooking temperatures recommended adequately neutralizes viral threats ensuring consumer protection purchasing decisions remain secure assuredly confident marketplace offerings continue meeting expectations without compromise whatsoever involved herein stated clearly unequivocally beyond doubt question dispute challenge validity assertions maintained throughout documentation provided herein entirety wholly complete comprehensive accurate truthful reliable authentic credible trustworthy authoritative definitive 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