Bird flu has been discovered in an Oklahoma dairy cattle herd. According to those wielding power over the rest of us, that means that the avian influenza outbreak is more widespread in the United States than originally thought.

Oklahoma is the 13th state to detect avian influenza in a dairy herd. Bird flu has since been detected in more than 150 dairy herds nationwide.

The cases are part of a far-reaching outbreak of H5N1 bird flu that has been spreading globally in wild birds, infecting poultry and various species of mammals. Four dairy workers have tested positive this year. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has continued to claim that the risk to the general public remains low.

Colorado Disaster Declaration Over 5 HUMAN Bird Flu Cases

According to a report by Reuters, the United States Department of Agriculture has launched a program to compensate farmers with sick cows for 90% of lost milk production per cow as the agency seeks to encourage farmers to test herds and report the positive test results, that they are calling “infections”.

An Oklahoma dairy collected the positive sample in April when it suspected its herd may have been infected, said Lee Benson, spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Foresty. The dairy recently sent stored samples to USDA for testing after the farm learned it could receive financial assistance for lost milk production from bird flu, Benson said. -RT

Oklahoma has made protective gear available to dairy farmers and has asked dairies to increase safety and security measures, state veterinarian Rod Hall said. There is no mandatory testing of cows in Oklahoma, according to the state agriculture department. Colorado has already reported four confirmed bird flu infections in poultry workers and is checking on the status of a fifth suspected case, health authorities said on Sunday.

Colorado Disaster Declaration Over 5 Bird Flu Cases