The Nevada Department of Agriculture has detected Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in dairy cattle in Churchill County.
The affected premises have been quarantined, and mandatory testing will occur onsite at regular intervals until the herds are confirmed to be virus-free. The first detection of HPAI in dairy cattle in Nevada was made in Nye County in December of 2024.
“Ensuring the safety of the industry is our utmost priority, and the NDA is working with industry members,” said NDA State Veterinarian Peter Rolfe, DVM. “It is critical that animal health biosecurity practices are enhanced to help prevent the spread of disease and protect animal and worker safety.”
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) maintains that the risk to humans remains low and the NDA is working with state and county health officials to protect human health and safety. Dairy and meat products remain safe for consumption. In addition, the USDA has determined that pasteurized milk will not transmit the virus to humans. Raw milk is illegal in Nevada.
“As always, we recommend following food safety guidelines, only eating or drinking pasteurized milk and cheeses, and cooking meat to the appropriate minimum internal temperatures,” said Dr. Rolfe.
Source - https://www.carsonnow.org
