H5N1 Bird Flu Virus Can Remain Infectious In Raw Milk For More Than A Week When Refrigerated, Study Finds

The Hill (6/6, Delandro) reported that “the bird flu virus can remain infectious in raw milk for over a day at room temperature and more than a week when refrigerated,” according to non-peer-reviewed research published in medRxiv. The study “examined the stability of the H5N1 avian influenza virus in raw cow and sheep milk, with researchers simulating storage conditions common in dairy settings.” Researchers concluded, “High viral titres were detected in milk from infected cows, raising concerns about onwards human infections.” Scientists have “emphasized that pasteurization effectively kills the virus, but unpasteurized milk poses a potential risk of infection, both through occupational exposure in dairies and the consumption of raw milk.”