Alert over bird flu in raw milk as WHO cites first mammal-to-human case

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced high concentrations of the H5N1 strain of bird flu virus have been detected in raw milk from infected animals. Yet, it's uncertain how long the virus can stay active in the milk.

The WHO reported on Friday that raw milk, which bypasses the standard pasteurization processes designed to eliminate bacteria, has been found to contain the bird flu virus, known as H5N1, in very high concentration.

Officials stated that pasteurized milk, the norm in most retail outlets, is still safe.

Since emerging in 1996, the A(H5N1) bird flu virus has increasingly spread, with the number of infections in birds and mammals rising sharply since 2020. This strain has led to the deaths of tens of millions of farmed birds, besides infecting wild birds and both land and marine mammals.

Recently, cows and goats were added to the list of species that can be infected, surprising experts who had thought these animals were immune to this flu strain.

In early April, a case of human infection with bird flu from infected dairy cows was identified in Texas, USA. According to New Scientist, this marks the first instance of the H5N1 virus being transmitted from a human to another mammal. The infected individual had a very mild illness, only suffering from conjunctivitis.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that the risk of bird flu infection remains low. Those with direct contact with infected birds or animals have the highest risk. The CDC recommends that while pasteurized milk is safe, avoiding consuming raw milk products or handling them is wise.