Genomic analysis suggests that the outbreak probably began in December or January, but a shortage of data is hampering efforts to pin down the source.

A strain of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been silently spreading in US cattle for months, according to preliminary analysis of genomic data. The outbreak is likely to have begun when the virus jumped from an infected bird into a cow, probably around late December or early January. This implies a protracted, undetected spread of the virus — suggesting that more cattle across the United States, and even in neighbouring regions, could have been infected with avian influenza than currently reported.

  • @venusaur
    25•7 months ago

    This all true?

    The risk of transmission from cows to humans is considered low, as the virus requires a large dose of virus to infect humans. Additionally, the virus is not easily spread through milk or other dairy products, as it is inactivated by pasteurization.

    • BruceTwarzen
      14•7 months ago

      Guys the risk is super low, don’t stop the cow torture industry okay? It’s the most important thing right now.

      • @Fedizen
        6•7 months ago

        this was my concern, too. Especially after reading about how the WHO didn’t want to say covid was airborne because it would be hard to deal with or something so they stuck to a completely unsupported droplet theory to basically protect businesses from having to provide better ventilation

      • @meliaesc
        -1•7 months ago

        If the risk is high, they simply kill all the cows. That’s the reason eggs were so expensive a couple years ago.

        • LustyArgonianEnglish
          1•7 months ago

          What will we eat if we kill all the cows and chickens? That’s the majority of American’s protein sources. And there’s no way pigs aren’t getting infected as well. Oceans are already overfished. Majority of the country will not be able to convert easily to veganism and still get their nutrients.

    • @Treczoks
      6•7 months ago

      as it is inactivated by pasteurization.

      Well, if it is actually pasteurized. Some anti-science people in the US will soon learn that there is a reason for pasteurization of milk…

    • @teamevil
      5•7 months ago

      I mean I heard my doctor at the time tell me corona virus probably wouldn’t be a thing in Feb 2020.

      • @Olhonestjim
        9•7 months ago

        Yep, same. Doctor hassled me for wearing a mask in a health clinic. Told me it was gonna be fine. Told her Trump said the same thing, so we were definitely fucked. She didn’t like that.