Canada Expands Surveillance and Milk Testing Amid U.S. Dairy Cattle Outbreak of H5N1 Avian Flu
Source: The DairyNews
Canada has announced expanded surveillance measures in response to the growing outbreak of H5N1 avian flu in U.S. dairy cattle, with new efforts including the testing of milk sold on store shelves.
This update, released on Friday night, follows concerns raised by leading Canadian researchers regarding the unprecedented spread of the virus among cows in the United States, including the detection of viral fragments in processed milk.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and Health Canada are closely monitoring the situation and have assured Canadians of the safety of commercially sold milk and milk products. Despite the detection of viral fragments, milk from dairy cows in Canada undergoes pasteurization before being sold, a process that effectively neutralizes harmful pathogens.
Recent research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirms the effectiveness of pasteurization in inactivating H5N1, even in the presence of viral fragments. In response to these developments, Canada will now conduct enhanced testing of retail milk to detect any viral fragments that could indicate the presence of the virus in dairy cattle.
H5N1 avian flu is a reportable disease in Canada, necessitating the reporting of suspected cases in animals to the CFIA. While Canada has not reported any human cases, the virus has infected millions of birds, including poultry on Canadian farms. To manage the potential emergence of avian flu in cows, Canada will require negative test results for lactating dairy cattle imported from the United States and facilitate voluntary testing of asymptomatic cows.
Canadian scientists have advocated for additional proactive measures, including random testing of farm workers and wastewater surveillance, to quickly identify potential infections. While some commend the CFIA's latest actions, others believe a more rapid and broad approach to case detection is warranted given the severity of the H5N1 outbreak.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC), and Health Canada are closely monitoring the situation and have assured Canadians of the safety of commercially sold milk and milk products. Despite the detection of viral fragments, milk from dairy cows in Canada undergoes pasteurization before being sold, a process that effectively neutralizes harmful pathogens.
Recent research by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration confirms the effectiveness of pasteurization in inactivating H5N1, even in the presence of viral fragments. In response to these developments, Canada will now conduct enhanced testing of retail milk to detect any viral fragments that could indicate the presence of the virus in dairy cattle.
H5N1 avian flu is a reportable disease in Canada, necessitating the reporting of suspected cases in animals to the CFIA. While Canada has not reported any human cases, the virus has infected millions of birds, including poultry on Canadian farms. To manage the potential emergence of avian flu in cows, Canada will require negative test results for lactating dairy cattle imported from the United States and facilitate voluntary testing of asymptomatic cows.
Canadian scientists have advocated for additional proactive measures, including random testing of farm workers and wastewater surveillance, to quickly identify potential infections. While some commend the CFIA's latest actions, others believe a more rapid and broad approach to case detection is warranted given the severity of the H5N1 outbreak.
