Bird flu is spreading rapidly. Over the past few months, the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus has been infecting cattle herds in the United States, marking the first occurrence of such an outbreak.
The transmission of the virus from cow to cow marks a significant advancement in the ongoing global outbreak, which initially resurfaced in Europe last year. This outbreak has already claimed the lives of countless birds, as well as over 40,000 sea lions and seals in South America.
On April 18, Jeremy Farrar, the chief scientist of the World Health Organization, referred to this situation as an “animal pandemic.”
According to The Washington Post, the discovery of genetic fragments of the virus in grocery store milk on Tuesday indicates that the cattle outbreak is more widespread than officials initially thought.
According to experts, it is likely that drinking pasteurized milk is still safe. The process of pasteurization is known to deactivate pathogens, including possibly H5N1, as stated by the Food and Drug Administration. However, there have been no specific studies conducted to determine whether pasteurizing milk effectively deactivates H5N1. The New York Times reports that the FDA is currently conducting tests to address this question.
In Texas, a person has tested positive for the virus after being exposed to dairy cattle, as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The individual’s sole symptom was redness in the eye.
According to Farrar, there is currently no evidence of human-to-human transmission. However, he expresses concern about the potential for the virus to mutate in the future, which could increase its ability to spread among humans.
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Dr. Jerome Adams, who is currently serving as the director of health equity at Purdue University, is experiencing a sense of déjà vu. This feeling is reminiscent of his time as the surgeon general.
“If the virus continues to spread among animals, it will eventually pose challenges to humans. This could lead to a shortage of food as flocks may need to be culled, or it could result in the virus making a leap to humans,” warned Adams. As a member of former President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 task force, he emphasized the importance of understanding that the more the virus replicates, the greater the likelihood of mutations occurring.”
While he acknowledges the CDC’s assessment that the current risk to humans is low, Adams expresses concerns that the United States is repeating several mistakes it made during the early stages of COVID-19.
Weak messaging with no clear leaders
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Who is responsible for managing an animal pandemic in the United States? Is it the CDC, the US Department of Agriculture, or the FDA?
All of the messaging strategies mentioned above have been utilized to some extent. However, the decentralized nature of responsibility may have contributed to a lack of consistent and comprehensive public messaging thus far.
Adams claims that he has made no alterations to his diet, as he believes that pasteurization and adequate cooking methods are enough to eliminate any live virus that may be present. However, he expresses concern that not everyone has fully grasped this important message.
He likened it to the development of COVID-19 vaccines, where individuals harbored doubts towards a procedure they were unfamiliar with.
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“The White House and the USDA should provide the public with clear and consistent communication to help reassure them about the safety measures in place,” emphasized Adams.
Agricultural workers and individuals who have frequent and prolonged contact with chickens or cattle are the ones most vulnerable, according to Adams. It is crucial to provide these specific groups with robust and focused guidance during this time.
Only testing the sick
The USDA has been testing cattle herds for diseases only when an animal shows signs of illness. This approach may not capture cases of asymptomatic spread that could be going unnoticed.
According to Adams, animals are unable to communicate their health issues like humans do. They don’t have the ability to say, “Hey, I’m not feeling well today.” As a result, veterinarians often have to wait until an animal is on the verge of collapsing or exhibiting severe symptoms before taking action. Adams argues that there needs to be a more proactive approach to testing animals, one that allows for true surveillance rather than reactive measures.
On Wednesday, the USDA made a significant advancement by issuing an order that mandates the testing of all lactating dairy cows for H5N1 before they are transported across state borders. Additionally, the USDA has made it mandatory for all positive test results to be promptly reported. This proactive measure aims to ensure the health and safety of the dairy industry and prevent the potential spread of H5N1.
In a recent column for the New York Times, Zeynep Tufekci highlighted an alarming fact: the USDA has not been monitoring positive test results in cattle until now.
Election distraction
The news cycle of late 2019 and early 2020 was dominated by the impeachment and subsequent acquittal of President Trump. However, the current focus of the news is a different trial involving Trump.
And just like in 2020, this year also happens to be an election year.
Business vs. public health
The chicken industry can experience devastating consequences similar to the restaurant and hospitality industries during the COVID-19 lockdowns when faced with a crackdown on avian flu.
In the event of a bird flu outbreak, the necessary course of action involves the culling of all infected chickens. However, even before reaching that stage, the process of testing the flock can significantly impede production.
Moreover, a significant number of individuals responsible for handling chickens and cattle are undocumented immigrants. This can create reluctance among both the workers and their employers to report cases of diseased animals to the authorities.
During the initial stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, numerous vulnerable groups faced hesitations when it came to reporting their illnesses. This included migrant workers and individuals who lacked sick leave benefits at their workplace.
Adams expressed his concern about the repetitive nature of our mistakes. He emphasized the need to shift our focus from irrelevant matters to the underlying causes.
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