Can I Get Bird Flu From Eating Eggs? Drinking Milk? We Asked A Disease Expert

By Fernanda Galan, The Sacramento Bee (TNS) SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As poultry farms and dairies across California battle bird flu outbreaks, some are wondering if their food is safe to eat. Since highly pathogenic avian influenza surfaced in the United States in January 2022, the virus has been detected in wild birds and domestic poultry, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HPAI was detected at a Merced County turkey farm in September and infected chickens at a Tulare County ranch about a month later, leading to the destruction of hundreds of thousands of birds, The Fresno Bee previously reported. Meanwhile, avian flu has sickened cows more than 130 dairies across California, as well as 15 dairy workers. Dairy cows feed at Hillcrest Dairy, located in Merced County, in 2022.