Following a recent human case of H5N1 recognized in Texas, generally referred to as “bird flu,” the Maryland Department of Agriculture is putting restrictions on cattle motion and transportation so as to forestall chook flu from spreading into the state. The division can be urging poultry and livestock homeowners to up their biosecurity measures.
As the identify implies, avian or chook flu is often present in birds, although there have been circumstances recognized in mammals as effectively. But for the primary time, H5N1 has been recognized in herds of cattle throughout the United States, elevating flags for public well being officers.
Cases of avian flu have been detected in dairy cows positioned in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, Ohio, North Carolina and New Mexico, however haven’t but been recognized in Maryland.
That mentioned, the Maryland Department of Agriculture desires cattle and poultry homeowners to up their “biosecurity measures” to stop the virus from spreading into the state, in line with an announcement Wednesday.
Secretary of Agriculture Kevin Atticks issued an order proscribing the motion and switch of cattle from one other state that has had a “confirmed detection” of avian flu besides below sure circumstances. The order can be efficient by means of May 29, except revoked sooner.
The division urges homeowners of poultry and cattle to remain vigilant for indicators of sickness and to inform state agriculture officers if they believe one among their animals has contracted chook flu.
A recent post from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health explains that “what’s sparking concern among scientists and public health officials alike is the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows and the subsequent infection of a dairy farm employee — the second person in America ever documented to be infected with H5N1.”
“The virus has now spread to 16 herds in six states according to the USDA (U.S. Department of Agriculture), fueling concerns about potential further transmission to humans,” the article mentioned.
The threat of transmission by means of the consumption of economic diary milk is low because the product is pasteurized earlier than being offered, in line with the Maryland Department of Agriculture.
The advisory is primarily for poultry and livestock homeowners, and emphasised that present threat for most people is low.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that there have been two circumstances of H5N1 recognized amongst people throughout the United States, the recent Texas case and a case recognized in Colorado two years in the past. The severity of human infections vary from “no symptoms or mild illness to severe disease that resulted in death.” Symptoms can embody fever, coughs, sore throat, physique aches, fatigue and even pneumonia.
To keep away from coming in touch with the virus, the CDC says that individuals ought to keep away from exposures to sick or lifeless animals.
Farmers, employees and veterinarians ought to have correct private protecting tools “when in direct contact with sick or dead birds or other animals, carcasses, feces, or litter from potentially infected birds or other animals,” the CDC says.
The CDC notes that most people can nonetheless eat “properly handled and cooked poultry.” Eggs and poultry merchandise cooked to an inside temperature of 165˚F kills micro organism and viruses, together with chook flu viruses, the CDC advises.
Last week, the CDC urged state well being and agriculture officers to be ready to reply if the scenario begins to pose a better threat to public well being.
The company really useful “that state public health officials engage with their state veterinarians and agriculture department officials to ensure that they have up-to-date operational plans to respond to avian influenza at the state level.”
