5 new dairy cow herds contract bird flu in Michigan

LANSING — Five more dairy herds in Michigan have been diagnosed with bird flu, according to an announcement Friday by Tim Boring, director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The herds are located in Allegan, Clinton, Gratiot, and Ingham counties with an additional herd in Isabella County. That brings the total count to ten herds in Michigan diagnosed with H5N1.

“Significant collaborative work is currently underway in Michigan and across the nation to better understand how the virus is spreading within and across herds,” said Douglas Freeman, interim dean of the Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine. “MDARD, the MSU Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory and epidemiologists from the College of Veterinary Medicine are partnering to gather information that will guide the local and national response to the ongoing outbreak. As these studies advance, it is vital to implement stringent biosecurity measures to mitigate virus transmission within our state.”.

A mandate for biosecurity measures on dairy and poultry farms was instituted in Michigan on Wednesday.

Ongoing national testing of dairy products confirms no active virus is being passed to consumers and the commercial milk supply remains safe. However, raw milk poses a danger of infection to those drinking it, according to the FDA.

Also on Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration are committing an additional $101 million to support response to H5N1. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is also making $98 million in existing funds available to fund these initiatives.