Since the outbreak began in 2022, 92.34 million birds have been culled, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While avian flu has become relatively common among poultry, its transmission to cattle has heightened concerns. In May, a second dairy farmworker was diagnosed with bird flu, with the virus detected in both beef and milk. Dairy cattle farms in nine states have reported infections.
Health and agriculture officials maintain that the risk to the public remains low. The USDA confirmed that meat from any sick dairy cow is not permitted in the nation’s food supply, assuring that beef remains safe to consume.
Workers exposed to infected animals face higher risks. The only three confirmed human cases in the United States involved two dairy workers and a man slaughtering infected birds on a poultry farm.
