California child drank raw milk before possible bird flu infection: Local health officials

A California child with a suspected bird flu infection drank raw milk before getting sick, local health officials said.

A Marin County child last month presented to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk, officials said. The child tested positive for Influenza A, a category that includes both seasonal flu and bird flu.

The Marin County Health Department said it is working with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on additional testing to confirm if this infection was bird flu or seasonal flu.

The child has recovered and no other family members became sick, indicating no person-to-person transmission.

California officials have been warning about the dangers of raw milk since the virus was first identified in dairy products. Raw milk is not pasteurized, meaning it can still carry viruses and bacteria. Outbreaks of numerous bacteria like salmonella, listeria and brucella have been linked to consuming raw dairy products.

The state earlier this month suspended distribution of all products from Fresno-area company Raw Farm after bird flu was found in samples.

Even as bird flu spreads, raw milk has seen a new wave of interest, promoted by high-profile supporters including Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President-elect Trump’s pick to lead the Department of Health and Human Services.

There are currently 58 confirmed cases of bird flu in the country, with most tied to poultry or dairy workers.

The Marin County case could be the second in a Bay Area child. Last month, a child in Alameda County tested positive for the virus, and officials are still working to understand how the child was exposed.

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