All ground beef samples test negative for the H5N1 bird flu virus: USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Wednesday that all ground beef samples sent to the National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) for PCR testing were negative for the H5N1 bird flu virus.

The U.S. Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) collected 30 samples of ground beef from stores in the United States with dairy herds that had tested positive for H5N1 at the time of sample collection.

“NVSL reported that all samples tested negative for H5N1.

These results reaffirm that the meat supply is safe,” the USDA added.

Federal authorities have been working since late March to confirm the safety of milk and meat products following the detection of H5N1 in 34 dairy herds in nine states.

Additionally, one case has been confirmed in an individual in Texas.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said preliminary results from tests with dairy supplements show that pasteurization inactivates the bird flu virus.

Both the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have said the overall public health risk is low but is higher for people exposed to infected animals.

Scientists remain vigilant for any changes in the H5N1 virus that could allow it to spread easily among people.

The virus has been responsible for serious infections in people who have been around wild birds or poultry.

It is consistently considered a virus that could cause a pandemic, and its spread to a new mammal species is a cause for concern.

First print: May 02, 2024 | 11:07 am IST