#18,368
Last Thursday, the California Department of Food an Agriculture reported a total of 137 confirmed H5N1 infected dairy herds in that state, which is more than double that of the next largest affected state (Colorado at 64).
This morning, the USDA has increased the California count to 178, an increase of 41 (or 30%) since late last week. So far, that update is not reflected on the CDFA website.
Reportedly, many of these herds have been identified by bulk testing of milk, and not because they were symptomatic. But bulk testing in California has been limited to those herds in close proximity to known outbreaks.
The decision not to require weekly bulk testing of milk in every state of the nation continues to obscure the true scope of this epizootic. Instead, states and the dairy industry appear to be hoping that HPAI H5 will eventually burn itself out in cattle, and that human infections will remain sporadic and mild.
And while that could happen, it is far from guaranteed.
