Are Meat Supplies Safe from Avian Influenza?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture stated on Wednesday that testing of all ground meat samples sent to national veterinary services laboratories for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing returned negative results for the H5N1 virus. The department added, "The national laboratories reported that all samples were negative for the H5N1 virus. These results confirm that the meat supply is safe." Federal authorities are working to ensure the safety of dairy and meat products after the virus was detected in 34 flocks of dairy cattle in nine states since the end of March. Additionally, one person in Texas has been confirmed infected. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization have confirmed that the overall public health risk is low, but it is higher among those who handle infected animals.