Amid concerns about the spread of avian influenza in the United States, Canada has announced that they are following the World Health Organization’s “One Health” guidelines, and will continue to monitor the potential spread into Canadian cattle.

Cases in the US have spread to 46 herds across nine states.

“As part of the Government of Canada’s One Health approach, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and Health Canada is taking proactive measures by conducting enhanced testing of milk at the retail level to look for viral fragments of HPAI,” a government statement reads.

The CFIA further confirmed that all 142 retail milk samples tested across Canada were found with negative results for avian flu fragments. 

“Commercially sold milk and milk products remain safe to consume,” the statement added.

Texas announces human case of avian flu

Last month, the state of Texas announced the first human case of avian influenza in the United States, the HPAI subtype known as H5N1. 

The affected individual was exposed to presumably contaminated cows while working at a commercial dairy cattle farm. They started exhibiting moderate symptoms of conjunctivitis and are now on the mend following antiviral therapy.

WHO hoping to finalize pandemic treaty

The WHO has been calling for member states, including Canada, to finalize their pandemic treaty — and pitch in more money for “when the next pandemic strikes.”

The WHO’s Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus shared a stage on January 17 with WEF Executive Committee member at a forum titled “Preparing for Disease X.”

According to the event description, “There are fresh warnings from the World Health Organization that an unknown ‘Disease X’ could result in 20 times more fatalities than the coronavirus pandemic.”