Washington State Confirms First H5N1 Bird Flu Cases in Dairy Cattle, Two Yakima County Farms Quarantined
Washington State has reported its initial confirmed cases of H5N1 bird flu in dairy cattle, leading to the quarantine of two farms in Yakima County. This development follows federal laboratory confirmation of the virus, as announced by the Washington State Department of Agriculture. The detection marks the end of a two-year period during which over 7,000 surveillance tests for the virus in the state yielded negative results. Since March 2024, dairy cattle in 19 states have been affected by the national outbreak. While the immediate risk to most households is considered low and pasteurized milk remains safe, concerns are heightened for farmworkers, dairy families, veterinarians, and individuals consuming raw milk or feeding it to pets. Both affected farms are under quarantine and have implemented stringent biosecurity measures, with state staff conducting investigations and additional testing. Veterinarians are providing care to sick cows, most of whom are expected to recover within approximately six weeks....
