States Begin to Restrict Cattle Imports from those with Influenza Cases

April 16, 2024 — 

In an effort to prevent domestic cattle from being exposed to highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAI, more specifically avian influenza Type A H5N1), 17 states have restricted cattle importations from states where the virus is known to have infected dairy cows: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Utah, and West Virginia. [As of the time this article was published.]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) will not be issuing federal quarantine orders at this time, nor is the agency recommending any state quarantines or official hold orders on cattle, the agency https://www.avma.org/news/states-hpai-infected-dairy-cows-grows-six announced April 2.

"However, we strongly recommend minimizing movement of cattle as much as possible, with special attention to evaluating risk and factoring that risk into movement decisions. Do not move sick or exposed animals."

WOAH recommends against travel restrictions while CDC issues public health recommendations.

Read more at AVMA.

[Source: AVMA Updated 15 April 2024]