Although some fans claim there are nutritional benefits to drinking raw milk, health experts say any purported benefits do not outweigh the associated risks.

Department of Public Health officials said they are awaiting the results of tests to confirm suspicions that the cats contracted H5 bird flu.

A Northern California child who consumed raw milk and became severely ill did not have the bird flu virus, according to tests conducted by the CDC.

Two domestic cats in Los Angeles have died from suspected bird flu after reportedly drinking raw milk linked to a recall for containing the virus.

A California child with a suspected bird flu infection drank raw milk before getting sick, local health officials said. A Marin County child last month presented to a local emergency department with fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk,

US health officials have reported that the strain of bird flu detected in a California child is similar to the strain spreading through livestock. However, the patient had no known exposure to infected animals.