Local health authorities are probing a potential bird flu case in Marin County, California, to ascertain if the illness stemmed from the consumption of raw milk. They have reiterated warnings about the risks associated with unpasteurized dairy products, a practice endorsed by various online influencers and right-wing personalities, including Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Marin County public health officials are investigating a suspected bird flu case in a child who exhibited fever and vomiting after consuming raw milk. The child has since recovered, and no other family members have fallen ill, suggesting no human-to-human transmission occurred.
The county health office is collaborating with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to determine if raw milk consumption caused the illness.
The child tested positive for the Influenza A virus, which encompasses several flu viruses. The viral sample has been sent to a public health laboratory for serotype testing to identify if it is the H5N1 bird flu virus, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
The report also noted that other family members had consumed smaller quantities of the same raw milk in their coffee, but all tested negative for influenza.