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California investigating possible H5N1 cases

California officials are testing dairy cows from three farms for possible avian influenza infections.

The state’s Department of Food and Agriculture says samples from the three sites have been submitted to the state’s animal health and food safety lab for verification of the H5N1 virus.  All three farms are in California’s central valley.

If the virus is confirmed, the agency says it will continue working closely with the California Department of Public Health, and local agricultural and public health officials, to understand the extent of the introduction and support animal health and public health activities with the goal of limiting exposure to virus while the impacted herds develop immunity.

As in other states, California says should highly pathogenic avian influenza be confirmed, pasteurization is fully effective at inactivating the virus and there is no milk or dairy product safety concern for consumers.