USDA confirms more H5N1 in dairy cows, wild birds, and small mammals

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed three more H5N1 avian influenza outbreaks in dairy cattle, raising the national total to 181 from 13 states.

The latest confirmations are from Colorado, South Dakota, and Texas. 

In other updates, APHIS also reported more detections in wild birds in mammals. The group reported about more than 100 more H5N1 detections in wild birds across several states. Some were waterfowl taken by hunters and were sampled last fall. However, several were agency-harvested birds from Colorado's Weld County, which has been a recent hot spot for dairy cow outbreaks, poultry outbreaks, and human illnesses. Species in Weld County that tested positive included doves, sparrows, starlings, and pigeons.