by Stephanie Soucheray, University of Minnesota
edited by Swati Mestri, reviewed by Andrew Zinin
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain
Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA’s APHIS) announced the first detection of H5N1 avian flu in a dairy herd in Oregon.
Since 2024, avian flu has been detected in 22 states. Most recently, Washington’s Yakima Valley has reported increased activity.
“This detection does not pose a risk to consumer health or affect the safety of the commercial milk supply,” the USDA said. “The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is confident that pasteurization is effective at inactivating HPAI [highly pathogenic avian influenza] virus, and that the commercial, pasteurized milk supply is safe.”
According to the USDA, the affected herd was tested as part of Oregon’s ongoing surveillance for HPAI in dairy cattle. “Prior to this detection, the herd has consistently tested negative through routine surveillance conducted under the National Milk Testing Strategy program,” the agency said.
The USDA said the detection does not change the agency’s strategy and emphasized that producers should report any livestock with clinical signs of illness or any unusually sick or dead wildlife to their state veterinarian.
Union says H5N1 underreported in Yakima Valley
In related news, United Farm Workers (UFW) posted a statement on X late Tuesday sounding the alarm on human cases of H5N1 among Yakima Valley dairy workers. The union said cases are being widely underreported in part because workers are often immigrants and there is an ongoing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in Yakima Valley.
“UFW staff are trying to support sick workers, but there are many barriers,” the post read. “Workers with milder symptoms are reluctant to be tested or miss work because sick cattle still need care. Workers are very afraid of ICE-related retaliation if they don’t follow employers’ instructions.”
Earlier this month, a Yakima County resident with an underlying health condition died from H5N1, and two others were reported infected. All three patients had occupational exposure to dairy cows.
The death marked the only U.S. H5N1 death recorded this year and the third recorded since 2024. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 74 human cases of H5N1, including three deaths, in the United States since 2024.
The union said many more workers are sick and are being offered only goggles and gloves for handling raw milk.
“The workers report symptoms that range from mild upper respiratory infection with pinkeye to severe flu symptoms with bone pain, severe cough and high fever. We do not have reports that indicate human-to-human transmission, just workplace exposure to infected animals and milk,” the union said.
In the last 30 days, 51 cattle herds have been hit with H5N1. In the past week, H5N1 has been detected in two herds in Idaho as well as the Oregon herd. Washington state has had 43 detections since Oct. 8.
