According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the risk to the public remains low; the Michigan farmworker diagnosed had mild symptoms and has recovered.
To date, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed H5N1 in 51 dairy herds across 9 states. A complete list of confirmed cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in livestock, which is caused by the H5N1 virus, can be found at USDA’s website.
The confirmation of a second human positive for H5N1 influenza underscores the need for continued vigilance and the importance of biosecurity best practices to mitigate risk among farm workers and reduce the threat of H5N1.
PPE Available for Dairy Farm Workers
Per the CDC request, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is providing personal protective equipment (PPE) to dairy farms, poultry farms and slaughterhouse workers who may need it.
PPE distribution will be prioritized to farms with positive or presumptive positive herds with HPAI and to farms that have submitted samples for pre-movement PCR testing. If you would like to receive a one-time distribution of PPE, please complete this form or call (614) 644-6133.
Frequently asked questions on HPAI and human health can be found on ODH’s website. ODH and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) also have a downloadable guidance document for farm workers, available in both English and Spanish.
U.S. Commercial Milk Supply Remains Safe
The U.S. commercial milk supply remains safe, as has been proven through rigorous government testing that has reaffirmed the effectiveness of pasteurization in killing H5N1.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced the states where they did their retail milk testing. The samples represented 132 processing locations in 38 states, including Ohio, and were all found to be negative for the H5NI HPAI virus, confirming milk and dairy products are safe. The testing results can be found at FDA’s website.
Your national and local dairy associations will continue to provide updates on relevant information as it becomes available. Please contact Jenny Crabtree at 614-890-1800 with any questions.
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