“This would be the first reported case of mammal-to-human H5N1 virus transmission reported worldwide,” said the authors. Almost 900 people in 23 countries have been infected with the highly pathogenic strain of avian flu over the last two ...

Bird flu was probably circulating in dairy cows for at least four months before it was confirmed to be the highly pathogenic H5N1 virus, according to a new analysis of genomic data by scientists at the US Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Center.

US officials have assured American consumers that the beef and milk supply is safe after bird flu was found in 34 dairy cattle herds across nine states. The bird flu virus, Type A H5N1, was not detected in tests of 30 supermarket samples of ground beef in states where herds had tested positive,

Bird flu typically spreads among birds, but there have been recent outbreaks among cattle in the U.S., and one Texas man contracted the virus from sick cows. Here’s why so many experts are worried about a possible new pandemic.