An Iowan media source has reported that bird flu cases have plummeted, allowing poultry shows to resume at fairs this summer. However, at the same time, another media outlet is claiming bird flu is now “maybe” spreading through the air.

According to a report by WBRZ 2 in Louisiana, an ABC affiliate, the bird flu virus that has been spreading among dairy cows may travel through the air and wastewater at farms, not just through milking equipment, a new study from California says.

Scientists have allegedly found the live avian influenza virus in the air of milking parlors or enclosed areas where cows are milked. They also found traces in the breath of infected cows, in contaminated water, and on milking equipment.

Bird Flu Rhetoric Cools, As USDA Confirms More Infections in Dairy Cattle And Cats

In May of 2025, the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture)  reported that 5.2 million birds were in flocks infected by highly pathogenic avian influenza, otherwise known as the bird flu. Now, that number has drastically decreased to 0.03 million (or 30,000). Accoridng to a report by We Are Iowa, this dramatic decrease has led to poultry exhibitors being allowed to showcase their animals at summer fairs.

At the same time, Nevada County in California still cancelled its poultry shows over the bird flu panic.

Nevada County Poultry Show Cancelled Over Bird Flu

This inconclusion reporting comes as Cambodia reported its fifteenth human case of avian influenza as well.

Cambodia Reports Its 15th Human Case of Bird Flu

The fear is still there, right alongside the admission that it’s not really a huge concern. This virus seems to have come and swept through birds and cattle without the need for a rushed vaccine. The Trump administration has also pulled funding for the bird flu vaccine, saying: “Moderna’s H5N1 mRNA vaccine was not scientifically or ethically justifiable,” according to a report by NPR. 

A Biosecure Facility in Texas is Creating Bird Flu Vaccines For Humans