The CDC on Wednesday reported the second human case of H5 Bird Flu tied to a dairy cow outbreak.
KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
A human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 bird flu virus infection in the United States has been identified in the state of Michigan. This is the second case associated with an ongoing multistate outbreak in dairy cows.
As with the case in Texas, the individual is a worker on a dairy farm where the H5N1 virus has been identified in cows. While a nasal swab from the person tested negative for influenza in Michigan, an eye swab from the patient was shipped to the CDC and tested positive for influenza A(H5) virus, indicating an eye infection.
The CDC has been watching influenza surveillance systems closely, particularly in affected states, and there has been no sign of unusual influenza activity in people, including in syndromic surveillance.
The CDC is recommending that people should avoid close, long, or unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals. In addition to avoiding unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding (litter), unpasteurized (“raw”) milk.
While there have been no cases linked to Missouri or Kansas, according to data from the US Department of Agriculture, Missouri has approximately 4 million heads of cattle, while neighboring Kansas is estimated to have 1.2 million.
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