MDA to test raw milk for bird flu. Don’t panic as long as you drink pasteurized milk.

As H5N1, more commonly known as Avian flu or bird flu, begins to infect dairy cattle, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) says they will start testing raw milk to see if the virus is present in it.

The department wants to reiterate that there is no reason for people to worry about milk so long as they are drinking pasteurized milk. The process kills bacteria and viruses, including H5N1.

MDA reminds people in general not to drink raw milk, which is unpasteurized milk, or eat raw milk cheese or undercooked meat from animals that are thought to have bird flu, although all raw dairy products can cause illness for people.

The bird flu has sickened many chickens, causing a supply shortage and, in turn, egg prices to soar. Now, some other animals, including cows, have tested positive for the virus.

“H5N1 is an emerging disease in dairy cattle, and conducting disease surveillance supports the state’s ability to effectively respond to outbreaks and limit the potential impact on the livestock and poultry industries, as well as on public health,” said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen.

Starting next week, MDA says they will begin sampling routinely collected raw cow’s milk from the state’s approximately 1,600 dairy farms to test for H5N1 as well as “monitor trends and prevent its spread to unaffected dairy herds and poultry flocks.”

If any of the sub-samples, which the University of Minnesota’s Minnesota Veterinary diagnostic lab is testing, comes back positive, more samples will be taken to confirm it, and when verified, the farm will be put under quarantine for a minimum of 30 days. The farm will need to have a plan to prevent the spread of the virus and have three consecutive negative milk samples that are taken at least seven days apart.

People working with the infected animals can choose to enroll in human health monitoring.

Bird flu is currently rare in humans, and no cases have been confirmed in Minnesota. Symptoms can include bothersome eyes that are red, itchy and watery, sore throat, a cough or fever.

“Although we understand that people may be concerned about getting sick with H5N1, the risk to the general public remains low at this time,” said Dr. Ruth Lynfield, state epidemiologist and medical director at MDH. “People most at risk are those who have direct contact with infected or potentially infected animals and their environments.”