Second Michigan dairy worker tests positive for bird flu, human case count rises to three
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Key takeaways:
- A second dairy worker in Michigan is the third confirmed human case in the current bird flu outbreak.
- The outbreak has affected 69 cattle herds in nine states so far.
A second dairy worker in Michigan became the third human case of highly pathogenic avian influenza virus linked to an outbreak in dairy cows, the CDC announced Thursday.
Although H5N1 has continued to be identified in dairy herds across the United States in the last few weeks and now includes 69 herds across nine states, including Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota and Texas, just three human cases linked to the outbreak have been confirmed.
The first, identified in March, was in a Texas dairy worker and marked what experts believe to be the first mammal-to-human transmission of H5N1, and the second was another dairy worker in Michigan. The case in Texas and the first case in Michigan only reported eye symptoms, whereas the most recent case is the first in the U.S. to report more “typical symptoms” of acute respiratory illness associated with influenza viruses, including A(H5N1), CDC reported.
Despite this third case, CDC said the threat to humans from influenza A(H5N1) — also known as “bird flu” — remains low based on exposure.
“Risk depends on exposure, and in this case, the relevant exposure is to infected animals,” CDC said. “The risk to members of the general public who do not have exposure to infected animals remains low.”
The CDC continues to advise people avoid close, long or unprotected exposures to wild birds, poultry, cattle, animal excrement, raw milk or other materials or animals suspected or confirmed to have H5N1.
References:
- CDC. Influenza (flu): H5N1 bird flu: Current situation summary. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/avianflu/avian-flu-summary.htm. Updated May 30, 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024.
- CDC confirms second human H5 bird flu case in Michigan; Third case tied to dairy outbreak. https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2024/p0530-h5-human-case-michigan.html. Published May 30, 2024. Accessed May 30, 2024.
- USDA. Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) detections in livestock. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock. Updated May 30, 2024. Accessed. May 31, 2024.
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