The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced the second round of states coming on board as part of its National Milk Testing Strategy (NMTS) that was launched Dec. 6.
The strategy requires that raw (unpasteurized) milk samples nationwide be collected and shared with the USDA for testing for the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1.
The first round of testing began this week in California, Colorado, Michigan, Mississippi, Oregon and Pennsylvania.
The second round of states to begin testing soon are Indiana, Maryland, Montana, New York, Ohio, Vermont and Washington.
These first two groups of states represent eight of the top 15 dairy-producing states in the country, accounting for nearly 50% of U.S. dairy production. Some the states have been affected by HPAI H5N1 in dairy cows and some have never detected the disease.
The USDA continues to work directly with other states to bring them into the program as quickly as possible while also accommodating state specific needs. APHIS will work with each of the 48 contiguous states until all states are participating and testing under the NMTS.
Results from this testing will be included in the routine testing reports shared by APHIS, and any newly affected herds will be reported on the existing HPAI confirmed cases in livestock map.
Any confirmed detection will be reported to local public health and state animal health officials to coordinate response efforts with state and federal partners.
California’s state of emergency
California Gov. Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency to streamline and expedite the state’s response to H5N1. This action comes as cases were detected in dairy cows on farms in Southern California, signaling the need to further expand monitoring and build on the coordinated statewide approach to contain and mitigate the spread of the virus.
California detected its first case of H5N1 in a dairy cow in Central California on Aug. 30, after it had been found in 13 other states since March. Since then 649 cases have been reported in California, accounting for 75% of cases nationwide.
There have been 34 cases of H5 bird flu in humans in California, all but one associated with exposure to infected dairy cattle. To date, no person-to-person spread of the disease has been detected in the state.
California has already established the largest testing and monitoring system in the nation to respond to the outbreak. This emergency proclamation will provide state and local agencies with additional flexibility around staffing, contracting and other rules to support California’s evolving response.
“We are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information. While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus,” Newsom said in a press release.
Through coordinated public awareness efforts between the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and other agencies, the state is leading a cross-agency response that includes timely public updates, multilingual outreach to dairy and poultry workers, targeted social media efforts to promote preventive practices, online and printed resources for the public, and media interviews to keep Californians informed. Additionally, the state is ensuring that agriculture workers have access to additional doses of seasonal flu vaccine from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to reduce concurrent flu risks.
