(828newsNOW) — Agriculture and public health officials were moving to alert and reassure the public on Wednesday, after Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI), also known as “avian flu” or “bird flu,” was detected in a North Carolina dairy herd.

HPAI previously had been detected in dairy herds in Texas, Kansas, Michigan, Idaho, New Mexico and Ohio, the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services reported in a release.

Movement of cattle from affected herds in the other states to North Carolina has been suspended, the department stated.

“This is an evolving situation, and we are waiting for more diagnostics from NVSL and will work collaboratively with our federal partners and dairy farmers in North Carolina,” Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said in a statement. “We have spent years developing methods to handle HPAI in poultry, but this is new and we are working with our state and federal partners to develop protocols to handle this situation. It is important to note the FDA has no concern about the safety or availability of pasteurized milk products nationwide.”

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said it is close communications with the state agriculture officials.

“Both agencies believe the overall risk to the general public remains low,” DHHS said in a release. “There are no concerns with the safety of the commercial milk supply at this time because products are pasteurized before entering the market. People should not consume or prepare food with raw or unpasteurized milk.”

Milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas first tested positive for the Type A H5N1 strain of “bird flu” in late March. According to an Associated Press report by Mike Stobbe and Jonel Aleccia, that strain had been known for decades as causing outbreaks in birds and occasionally infects people. In the other states, it was seen as infecting mostly older dairy cows, causing a decrease in lactation and low appetite for the animals, the Associated Press reported.

North Carolina officials shared online resources where people can learn more about HPAI:

* For more on HPAI in dairy herds, CLICK HERE.

* For FDA guidance on milk safety during HPA outbreaks, CLICK HERE.

* For updates from the North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, CLICK HERE.