The Food and Drug Administration and US centers continue intensive efforts to control the spread of bird flu

The USDA, FDA, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in collaboration with state partners, continue to investigate an outbreak of avian influenza A (H5N1) affecting poultry, dairy cattle, and humans in several states.

A statement by the US Food and Drug Administration stated that it bears full responsibility in protecting public health by ensuring the safety of milk, dairy products, and animal feed supplies, noting that it periodically follows up infection outbreak centers to control them, in addition to issuing a set of Precautionary measures to maintain the safety of various foods using heat treatment methods capable of inactivating viruses.

The statement indicated that the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service of the US Department of Agriculture is leading the response process from an animal health perspective, with close coordination with The Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The US Food and Drug Administration has announced precautionary measures to deal with animal products in various production areas, in addition to issuing a warning to cat and dog food manufacturers, Those covered by the Food Safety Modernization Act’s Preventive Controls of Animal Foods (PCAF) rule who use uncooked or unpasteurized substances derived from poultry or livestock (such as uncooked meat, unpasteurized milk, or uncooked/unpasteurized eggs), re-analysis Their food safety plans to include highly pathogenic avian influenza (H5N1) virus as a known or reasonably foreseeable risk.

The FDA said in its guidance to consumers: "Heat treatments have proven effective in inactivating the H5N1 virus in meat, milk products, and eggs. We recommend that consumers follow USDA guidelines for handling raw meat and cook it thoroughly before serving it to avoid spreading the virus from animals to humans.

Dr. J. Scott Weiss, professor at the Ontario Veterinary College and director of the Center for Public Health and Comorbidity at the University Guelph said compliance with FDA guidelines is optional, noting that companies must decide what they want to do. The FDA tries to avoid imposing certain practices. This is a first step. If more cases emerge, stronger steps may be taken.

Across the country, grocery store shoppers are facing empty shelves and high prices for eggs, one of the sources of protein that has traditionally been inexpensive, according to the report. For the New York Times Issued on Saturday, indicating the possibility that things will get worse. The newspaper’s report revealed that since the bird flu virus began spreading in the United States in 2022, infections caused by the H5N1 virus have caused the injury or death of 136 million birds so far.

The newspaper highlighted the fact that the outbreak of the virus has intensified recently. More than 30 million chickens were killed — That is, about 10% of the total egg-producing chickens in the country — During the past three months only, to prevent the spread of the disease. It may take several months before the number of egg-producing chickens returns to the normal level of about 318 million chickens, which is approximately one chicken per person.

• For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and