American Contracts Bird Flu After Exposure to Virus Spreading in Cows – Yahoo Finance

(Bloomberg) -- A person in Texas contracted bird flu, most likely after being exposed to infected dairy cows, public health officials said, as an emerging outbreak among the animals spreads in the country.

Most Read from Bloomberg

The risk to the general population remains low, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. It is the second human case of bird flu, formally known as highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, in the US since 2022 when infections started gaining speed in wild and domesticated birds and other mammals.

The patient, who had no symptoms apart from red eyes suggestive of conjunctivitis, is receiving antiviral drugs and recovering, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

The outbreak among dairy herds is relatively recent, with early reports of infected cows from Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico and Idaho. Unlike with chickens and other poultry flocks that are generally culled to prevent the spread of the virus, the US Department of Agriculture isnt recommending the destruction of infected cows at this stage.

The situation is rapidly evolving, the USDA said. The CDC is working with state health departments to monitor people and groups that may be at risk.

Read more: Bird Flu Found in Michigan, Idaho Cows as Virus Spreads in US

Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek

2024 Bloomberg L.P.

Read the original:

American Contracts Bird Flu After Exposure to Virus Spreading in Cows - Yahoo Finance