Bird flu virus has been spreading among US cows for months, RNA reveals
www.nature.com
Genomic analysis suggests that the outbreak probably began in December or January, but a shortage of data is hampering efforts to pin down the source.

A strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been silently spreading in US cattle for months, according to preliminary analysis of genomic data. The outbreak is likely to have begun when the virus jumped from an infected bird into a cow, probably around late December or early January. This implies a protracted, undetected spread of the virus — suggesting that more cattle across the United States, and even in neighbouring regions, could have been infected with avian influenza than currently reported.

  • venusaur@lemmy.world
    1·
    5 months ago

    This all true?

    The risk of transmission from cows to humans is considered low, as the virus requires a large dose of virus to infect humans. Additionally, the virus is not easily spread through milk or other dairy products, as it is inactivated by pasteurization.

    • BruceTwarzen@kbin.social
      21·
      5 months ago

      Guys the risk is super low, don’t stop the cow torture industry okay? It’s the most important thing right now.

      • Fedizen@lemmy.world
        2·
        5 months ago

        this was my concern, too. Especially after reading about how the WHO didn’t want to say covid was airborne because it would be hard to deal with or something so they stuck to a completely unsupported droplet theory to basically protect businesses from having to provide better ventilation

    • Treczoks@lemmy.world
      1·
      5 months ago

      as it is inactivated by pasteurization.

      Well, if it is actually pasteurized. Some anti-science people in the US will soon learn that there is a reason for pasteurization of milk…

    • teamevil@lemmy.world
      0·
      5 months ago

      I mean I heard my doctor at the time tell me corona virus probably wouldn’t be a thing in Feb 2020.

      • Olhonestjim@lemmy.world
        2·
        5 months ago

        Yep, same. Doctor hassled me for wearing a mask in a health clinic. Told me it was gonna be fine. Told her Trump said the same thing, so we were definitely fucked. She didn’t like that.