US authorities consider the risk assessment for the US population to be “low”. Less than two months after a first case, a second person was infected with bird flu in the United States in connection with an epidemic of this virus in cows in the country, US health authorities announced on Wednesday.
This person works on a farm where the H5N1 virus infected dairy cows in the state of Michigan, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.
First case in 2022
On April 1, a first case was announced in Texas, in the southern United States. According to the CDC, this was “probably” the world’s first case of avian flu infection through a cow. The first human case of bird flu was discovered in the country in 2022, in Colorado, but then it was a poultry infection.
In both Michigan and Texas, infected patients only showed symptoms in the eyes, the CDC says. Both have recovered. Experts are concerned about the growing number of mammals infected with the disease, although human cases remain rare.
There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission at this time, but scientists fear that high circulation could facilitate a mutation of the virus that would allow it to jump from one human to another.
In mid-April, the World Health Organization (WHO) expressed its “tremendous concern” about the growing spread of avian flu to new species. Goats, for example, have joined the list.
Possible additional cases
This outbreak affects cattle herds in at least nine US states. The first report dates back to March 25. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has identified transmission of the virus between cows within the same herd or between dairies during animal movements. Cows are recovering and the disease is associated with “little or no mortality,” according to a ministry statement in late April.
“It is important to note that so far we have not found any modification of the virus that makes it more contagious to humans or between people,” this press release adds. The USDA has put in place financial aid to help affected farms, such as providing protective equipment to their employees.
On Wednesday, the CDC again emphasized the importance of precautionary measures for people exposed to sick or potentially infected animals.
These people should avoid, in particular, “close, prolonged and unprotected” contact with these animals, as well as with their excrement, or even with raw, unpasteurized milk.
“Given the high levels of the H5N1 virus in raw milk from infected cows, as well as the extent of spread of this virus among dairy cows, additional similar cases may be identified in humans,” the CDC said.
But “sporadic infections in humans – without continued spread – will not change the risk assessment for the general public,” they added.
At the end of April, the American Drug Administration (FDA) confirmed that milk sold in stores in the United States was “safe”, with the pasteurization process being “effective” in killing the bird flu virus.
Source: BFM TV
