NBC NEWS – A pig in Oregon has tested positive for the H5N1 bird flu virus, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday. It’s the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the United States.
Test results are pending for two other pigs found on the farm in Crook County, Oregon, the USDA said, while two others tested negative.
The pig that tested positive didn’t show signs of illness.
The five pigs were tested for H5N1 out of an abundance of caution, officials said, and “because of the presence of H5N1 in other animals on the premises.”
Officials said there are no concerns about the safety of the nation’s pork supply.
“In November 2022, China reported a human case of HPAI H5N1 virus infection following poultry exposure in an adult who developed critical illness and died. In November and December 2022, H5N1 virus infections were reported in bears in Alaska, Nebraska, and Montana.” – US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The farm is noncommercial, the USDA said, and the animals weren’t intended for the commercial food supply. Additionally, the farm has been quarantined to prevent the spread of the virus.
Sheep, goats and other animals on the farm are under surveillance, officials said.
The update comes as the H5N1 virus continues to spread rapidly among dairy cows across the country.
The bird flu outbreak in dairy cows has infected 387 herds across 14 states so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Since March, there have been a total of 36 human cases …
