As America gears up for the year's end and a change in administration, the topic of public health has dominated many conversations throughout the election season, but one facet has been noticeably absent: bird flu. Human infections of the H5N1 virus have sharply risen in the last few weeks, alarming many public health experts are wondering — and worried — what this means for another possible pandemic like COVID-19.
This week, public health officials detected bird flu in a sample of raw milk sold in California. According to a press release by the California Department of Public Health, the public is being advised to avoid consuming “one batch of cream top, whole raw milk” produced by the brand Raw Farm. The news comes after public health experts have warned that drinking or accidentally inhaling raw milk containing the bird flu virus may lead to illness.
