TAYLORSVILLE, UTAH — The Utah Department of Agriculture and Food (UDAF) announced that dairy cows at eight commercial facilities in Cache County, Utah, tested positive for highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI).

UDAF said dairies with infected cows — the first reported in the state — were placed under quarantine, and lactating cattle may not be moved in or out, with the exception of cows going direct to slaughter. Biosecurity measures at impacted sites also were recommended to prevent further spread of the virus.

The US Department of Agriculture National Veterinary Services Laboratories confirmed the cases after state agencies collected samples as part of a mandatory surveillance in the county.

Utah State Veterinarian Daniel Christensen said the food supply isn’t expected to be impacted and described the virus’s ramifications at dairies with infected cows as relatively minimal.

“This disease is not as harmful to dairy cattle as it is to poultry,” Christensen said.

UDAF said it is working with dairy producers as well as federal, state and local agencies on response plans, surveillance and testing.

During the course of the outbreak, 15 states have seen some of their dairy herds infected with the virus.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reiterated throughout the HPAI outbreak among dairy cows that the cases do not present an immediate public health concern.