Deadly Bird Flu Strain Hits Dairy Cows: 'Could Make COVID Seem Like A Walk In The Park,' Expert Says

by Erica Kollmann Benzinga Staff Writer

Zinger Key Points

Six dairy herds in Nevada test positive for a strain of bird flu associated with a man’s death in January.
The D1.1 variant is the strain associated with a Louisiana man’s death and a severe case contracted by a teenager in British Columbia.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Wednesday that six dairy herds in Nevada have tested positive for a strain of bird flu associated with a man's death in January.

The Details: The infected Nevada cows mark the first time the D1.1 variant of the H5N1 bird flu has been detected in cattle which means the cows contracted the virus from birds and not another herd of cattle.

This is the second time a type of bird flu has been introduced into cattle herds by wild birds, according to a CNN report. If wild birds are spreading the disease to cattle, it could become endemic, or continuously circulating.

"In my opinion, it is now endemic, and it should be classified as an endemic virus," Dr. Louise Moncla, a pathobiologist at the University of Pennsylvania, told CNN.

The D1.1 variant is the strain associated with a Louisiana man's death in January and a severe case contracted by a teenager in British Columbia who was hospitalized in critical condition last fall.

Michael Worobey, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Arizona who has studied the H5N1 virus in cattle, told Fortune that the virus has the potential to "make COVID seem like a walk in the park" and federal officials should quickly share information in order to stop the spread.

That may be hard to do, considering the Trump administration in late January ordered all communications from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to stop. The pause in communications includes the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a scientific publication on health information and recommendations.

Stocks To Watch: According to the USDA, H5N1 avian influenza has been detected in 957 herds in 16 states. Companies exposed to the dairy industry are on watch due to the uncertainty surrounding bird flu in cattle herds.

Coca-Cola Consolidated, Inc. COKE has over 80 dairy products under 15 brands including Fairlife milk and Core Power protein shakes and would likely be sensitive to dairy price increases or shortages.

Chocolate makers like Hershey Co. HSY and Mondelez International, Inc. MDLZ are also heavily exposed to the dairy industry as milk is one of their top ingredients.

General Mills Inc. GIS, maker of Häagen-Dazs ice cream, Yoplait and Oui French-style yogurt, should also be monitored as the bird flu situation develops.

Read Next: