The virus, H5N1, found in Texas and Kansas dairy cows. It causes flu-like symptoms in cows but hasn't killed any yet. The cows likely got infected from wild birds.
USDA is investigating how the virus spread. Milk from infected cows will be destroyed. But pasteurization kills the virus if it enters the food chain. The infected worker has mild symptoms treated with antiviral medication.
Bird flu has affected many animals, including sea lions, foxes, and otters. Penguins in Antarctica also tested positive. The risk to humans is low, mainly from close contact with infected birds. There's no evidence of human-to-human transmission.
Bird flu strains can mutate, potentially becoming more dangerous to humans. Wild birds aren't to blame for the virus's lethality. Intensive poultry farming may contribute to its spread to wild birds.
Since 2021, millions of farmed birds have been culled to contain bird flu. The culling process, like ventilation shutdown, is cruel. Wild birds suffer respiratory problems, diarrhea, and swelling in the head from the virus.
