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Experts warn that lax regulations could also see the virus spread to US pig farms, with serious consequences for human health. Fears are growing that the H5N1 outbreak among cattle in the United States could have been caused by contaminated animal feed. In contrast to Britain and Europe, American farmers are still allowed to feed cattle and other farm animals ground-up waste from other animals including birds. Dairy cows across six US states – and at least one farm worker – have become infected with the highly pathogenic virus, which has already killed millions of animals across the globe since 2021. The farm worker, who is thought to have been exposed via infected cattle in Texas, is only the second recorded human H5N1 case in the US. Since February, the US has investigated and discounted a further 8,000 possible exposures, according to Dr Joshua Mott, WHO senior advisor on influenza. The development is of concern because it allows the virus, which has killed millions of birds and wild mammals around the world, more opportunities to mutate...
