Bird flu detected in Stearns County dairy herd, Minnesota officials say
Authorities say the virus was detected in samples collected as part of the state's milk surveillance plan, which
launched last month
.
The Board of Animal Health has quarantined the Stearns County herd until they meet testing requirements showing it's no longer infected.
"Our surveillance and response approach to H5N1 is a team effort to ensure we're covering all angles where it's detected and limiting its ability to spread," said state veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs.
MDA says there is no concern for the safety of the public milk supply. All milk sold in stores is pasteurized to kill bacteria and viruses.
Dairy farms are also required to dispose of milk from sick animals to remove it from the milk supply.
H5N1 testing is done on pre-pasteurized, or raw, cow milk collected from each of Minnesota's approximately 1,600 dairy farms monthly.
"Identifying which dairy herds are infected is important so we can prevent disease spread and protect both animal and human health," said MDA Commissioner Thom Petersen.
The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) also monitors the health of people who have direct contact with infected animals or their environment.
MDH provides public health recommendations to help reduce the risk for infection, testing, antivirals and personal protective equipment, if needed.
MDA says dairy farmers should monitor their herd and contact their veterinarian immediately if cows appear sick.
This is the first time bird flu has been detected since the milk surveillance program began. This is also the first time H5N1 was detected in a dairy herd
since June 2024
.
State officials say the risk to the public from bird flu currently remains low.
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But research into H5N1 mRNA vaccines were among nearly two dozen mRNA projects supported by the government's biodefense agency that were terminated or altered, according to a Department of Health and Human Services statement released Tuesday. The moves affect $500 million in projects, according to HHS, including covid and flu therapeutics and vaccines. 'This represents a significant setback for our preparedness efforts in responding to infectious-disease outbreaks,' said Dawn O'Connell, the former assistant secretary of preparedness and response at HHS during the Biden administration. If viruses change, mRNA can be quickly rebooted and manufactured. But HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has criticized mRNA vaccines, arguing that they are ineffective at fighting upper respiratory infections and keeping up with the mutations of a virus. Kennedy has a history of disparaging the mRNA coronavirus vaccines, in 2021 falsely calling them the 'deadliest vaccine ever made.' 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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s decision to cancel all federal funding for 22 mRNA vaccine development projects has triggered backlash from scientists, one warning of "dangerous repercussions." Kennedy Jr. announced on Tuesday that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will pull a total of $500 million in funding for the vaccines because "these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu." Multiple scientists and doctors have spoken out against this decision with Rick Bright, who led the HHS's Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) from 2016 to 2020 saying on X: "A bad day for science, and huge blow to our national security. This decision will have dangerous repercussions." Why It Matters The abrupt end to funding for mRNA vaccines for respiratory viruses—including COVID-19, influenza, RSV, and H5N1 bird flu—represents a marked shift in U.S. health policy. Experts cautioned that the decision would eliminate a critical, proven technology platform, hamper the nation's ability to respond to future pandemics, and signal a prioritization of ideology over scientific evidence. Kennedy has long faced criticism for his position on vaccines. He has insisted he is not opposed to all vaccines, saying he supports "safe vaccines" and he called for parents to consider measles vaccines earlier this year. But he has also made contradictory statements, such as telling podcaster Lex Fridman that there are no safe and effective vaccines. What To Know On Tuesday, the HHS confirmed it would cancel $500 million in mRNA vaccine development contracts, impacting research teams and proposals—including those from Emory University, Tiba Biotech, Pfizer, Sanofi Pasteur and others. "We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu," Kennedy said in a post on X "We're shifting that funding toward safer, broader vaccine platforms that remain effective even as viruses mutate." We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We're shifting that funding toward… — Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) August 5, 2025 Dr. Lucky Tran, a molecular biologist, is one of many who spoke out against the decision on X: "This is so harmful. Scientists are developing mRNA-based cancer vaccines that could save so many lives." Infectious diseases specialist Dr. Jake Scott wrote: "HHS is shutting down BARDA's mRNA vaccine portfolio, with Secretary RFK Jr. claiming the shots 'fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. That framing is naive and reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of vaccinology. It conflates the unrealistic goal of blocking all infections with the real, achievable goal: reducing serious illness and death. "No vaccine for respiratory viruses—COVID, flu, RSV—provides durable sterilizing immunity. That was never the standard and shouldn't be the expectation. What mRNA vaccines did deliver: the fastest prototype-to-patient timeline in history and a >90% reduction in the risk of invasive ventilation or death. "Ending federal support now sacrifices the very speed and flexibility that saved lives. Science isn't served by abandoning a proven platform because it doesn't do something." Just in: HHS is shutting down BARDA's mRNA vaccine portfolio, with Secretary RFK Jr. claiming the shots 'fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu.' That framing is naive and reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of vaccinology. It… — Jake Scott, MD (@jakescottMD) August 5, 2025 Newsweek has contacted the HHS, via email outside of working hours, for a response to these comments. Supporters of the move included the Children's Health Defense, a nonprofit founded by Kennedy Jr. which focuses on childhood health epidemics but is well-known for its anti-vaccination positions. It said: "CHD applauds this most recent announcement to defund 22 mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA. While we believe that the mRNA shots on the market are unsafe and should be off the market, this is a welcome step in the right direction. The pandemic preparedness industry as it exists today is a threat to human welfare." 🚨BIG NEWS: HHS Winds Down mRNA Vaccine Development Under BARDA 'CHD applauds this most recent announcement to defund 22 mRNA vaccine projects under BARDA. While we believe that the mRNA shots on the market are unsafe and should be off the market, this is a welcome step in the… — Children's Health Defense (@ChildrensHD) August 5, 2025 Before becoming HHS secretary, Kennedy said he would not ban vaccines, telling NBC News in November 2024 that "if vaccines are working for somebody, I'm not going to take them away." "People ought to have choice and ought to be informed by the best information, so I'm going to make sure that scientific safety studies and efficacies are out there and people can make individual assessments about whether that product is going to be good for them." What Happens Next Health policy experts have warned that the effects of the funding termination could deepen if other nations follow the U.S. lead, or if private investment in rapid vaccine development wanes. Researchers cautioned about reduced national readiness for pandemics, with the risk heightened by the ongoing spread of bird flu among livestock and potential biosecurity threats. The full repercussions of the move will likely become clear as the U.S. confronts the next wave of infectious disease threats, and as regulatory, medical, and scientific communities grapple with the loss of federal investment and the uncertainty it brings.
