Category: Flu Virus

Texas

Cal-Maine Foods says 1.6m laying hens destroyed as officials also detect virus in poultry facility in Michigan

Associated Press

The largest producer of fresh eggs in the US said on Tuesday it had temporarily halted production at a Texas plant after bird flu was found in chickens, and officials said the virus had also been detected at a poultry facility in Michigan.

Ridgeland, Mississippi-based Cal-Maine Foods Inc said in a statement that approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets, about 3.6% of its total flock, were destroyed after the infection, avian influenza, was found at a facility in Parmer county, Texas.

The plant is on the Texas-New Mexico border in the Texas Panhandle about 85 miles (137km) south-west of Amarillo and about 370 miles north-west of Dallas. Cal-Maine said it sells most of its eggs in the south-western, south-eastern, midwestern and mid-Atlantic regions of the United States.

The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response, the statement said.

Cal-Maine Foods is working to secure production from other facilities to minimize disruption to its customers, the statement said.

The company said there was no known bird flu risk associated with eggs that are currently in the market and no eggs have been recalled.

Eggs that are properly handled and cooked are safe to eat, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

The announcement by Cal-Maine comes a day after state health officials said a person had been diagnosed with bird flu after being in contact with cows presumed to be infected, and that the risk to the public remains low. The human case in Texas marks the first known instance globally of a person catching this version of bird flu from a mammal, federal health officials said.

In Michigan, Michigan State Universitys veterinary diagnostic laboratory has detected bird flu in a commercial poultry facility in Ionia county, according to Michigans department of agriculture and rural development.

The county is about 100 miles north-west of Detroit.

The department said it received confirmation of the disease on Monday from the lab and that it was the fourth time since 2022 that the disease had been detected at a commercial facility in Michigan.

A department spokesperson, Jennifer Holton, said on Tuesday that state law prohibits the department from disclosing the type of poultry at the facility. The facility has been placed under quarantine and the department does not anticipate any disruptions to supply chains across the state, Holton said.

Dairy cows in Texas and Kansas were reported to be infected with bird flu last week and federal agriculture officials later confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas. A dairy herd in Idaho has been added to the list after federal agriculture officials confirmed the detection of bird flu in them, according to a Tuesday press release from the USDA.

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Texas egg facility halts production after bird flu found in chickens - The Guardian US

A person in the US state of Texas is recovering from bird flu after being exposed to dairy cattle, officials said Monday amid growing concern over the current global strain of the virus as it spreads to new species.

Issued on: 02/04/2024 - 02:22

3 min

It is only the second case of a human testing positive for bird flu in the country, and comes after the infection sickened herds that were apparently exposed to wild birds in Texas, Kansas and other states over the past week.

"The patient reported eye redness (consistent with conjunctivitis), as their only symptom, and is recovering," said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They were told to isolate and are being treated with the antiviral drug used for the flu.

The current outbreak began in 2020 and has led to the deaths of tens of millions of poultry, with wild birds also infected as well as land and marine mammals.

Cows and goats joined the list last week, a surprising development for experts because they were not thought susceptible to this type of influenza.

The infected person was likely a farm worker, Louise Moncla, a pathobiologist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, told AFP.

"If we find continued clusters of infections in cows, then it means we need to start surveilling cows -- and that would be a big change to how we think about these viruses," she added.

"But at this time, there's not an enormous need for concern by the public," she said.

The CDC said that the infection does not change its bird flu human health risk assessment for the US, which it rates as low.

The first US bird flu case in a human occurred in a Colorado prison inmate in 2022 -- however, that was through infected poultry.

Experts are worried about the increasing number of mammals infected by the current H5N1 strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and whether it is actually spreading between them.

"Initial testing has not found changes to the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans," the US Department of Agriculture, the CDC, and the Food and Drug Administration said in a joint statement last week.

The strain appears to have been introduced by wild birds but spread between cows hasn't been ruled out, the statement added.

The Texas health department said the cattle infections do not present a concern for the commercial milk supply, as dairies are required to destroy milk from sick cows. Pasteurization also kills the virus.

The findings marked the first time ever that HPAI has been detected in dairy cattle, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Earlier in March, Minnesota reported bird flu cases among goats.

The affected cows were primarily older animals that showed decreased lactation and low appetite, "with little to no associated mortality reported," added the AVMA. Dead wild birds were generally found nearby.

A nine-year-old boy died from the virus in Cambodia in February, adding to the three deaths there in 2023 -- though the bird flu spreading in Europe and North America appears to cause milder infections, said Moncla.

Science: Tens of millions of birds culled, but avian influenza continues to spread

Bird flu has killed tens of thousands of marine mammals since spreading in South America, according to the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research.

British seabird populations are suffering "widespread and extensive declines" according to a recent impact assessment.

The disease has hit European farms hard too, with French authorities raising the risk level to "maximum" in December, and Czech officials reporting in February they had culled 140,000 birds in 2024 alone.

Down to Earth: Bird flu, the next pandemic?

(AFP)

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US officials say bird flu detected in Texan exposed to dairy cattle - FRANCE 24 English

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PHOENIX - News that a Texas person has been diagnosed with bird flu has people talking about a specific type of flu virus that doesn't often infect humans.

Here's what to know about the virus and why some are concerned.

Health officials in Texas announced on April 1 that a person in the state had the first case, ever in the state, of human H5N1 novel avian influenza A.

"The patient became ill following contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected with avian influenza. The patients primary symptom was conjunctivitis," read a portion of the statement.

Overall, this is the second case of human H5N1 infection in the country. The first case, according to the CDC, happened in 2022, and involved a person who had direct exposure to poultry.

The virion for H5N1, as seen under an electron microscope. (Courtesy: CDC)

According to the CDC, The "H5" in "H5N1" refers to a subtype of Avian influenza A. The H5 subtype, along with subtyped H7 and H9, are known to infect people.

Avian influenza (or bird flu), according to the CDC, is a type of flu virus that naturally spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide, and can infect domestic poultry, along with other bird and animal species.

While Avian influenza A viruses can be classified into either a Low Pathogenic or Highly Pathogenic category, CDC officials note that the designations "do not refer to or correlate with the severity of illness in cases of human infection with these viruses," and that virus subtypes in both categories have caused mild to severe illnesses in infected humans.

In 2022, the CDC said reported signs and symptoms of bird flu virus infections in humans ranged from having no symptoms or mild illness (such as conjunctivitis or mild flu-like upper respiratory symptoms) to severe symptoms that can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.

Experts say in some cases, hospitalization may be required.

Experts say bird flu viruses do not normally infect humans. With that said, however, infections (as mentioned above) can happen. In some instances, many people can be infected.

According to the CDC's website, there have been at least four instances where an Avian influenza virus resulted in dozens of human cases. One of the bird flu outbreaks that received media attention was a H5N1 outbreak that happened in 1997 in Hong Kong, which resulted in 18 infections and six fatalities.

A report by the Associated Press states that the government in the former British colony at the time closed live poultry markets, killed all the birds in the markets, and stopped bringing in chickens from Southern China in response to the outbreak.

The CDC says it's safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry in the U.S.

"Properly handling and cooking poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of165F kills bacteria and viruses, including bird flu viruses," read a portion of their website.

The AP has reported that poultry deaths from either the virus or culls were one of the reasons cited for soaring egg prices from 2022 to 2023.

A doctor pulls a vaccine dose from a package containing a flu vaccine. (Photo by Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty Images)

The CDC's website states that the federal government "maintains a stockpile of vaccines, including vaccines against A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) bird flu viruses."

As far as treatment is concerned, CDC officials say current flu antiviral drugs can be used to treat most bird flu virus infections.

"However, some evidence shows flu antiviral drugs may not work as well against some A(H5N1) and A(H7N9) bird flu viruses that were first detected in Asia," read a portion of the CDC website. "When flu viruses evolve in ways that make antiviral treatment less effective, this is called antiviral resistance. CDC regularly tests bird flu viruses for antiviral resistance."

CDC officials say the best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid sources of exposure, whenever possible.

The advice includes:

1. Avoid direct contact with wild birds, and observe them only from a distance.

2. Avoid unprotected contact with domestic poultry that look sick or have died.

3. Avoid touching surfaces that may be contaminated with saliva, mucous, or feces from wild or domestic birds.

(This website does not provide medical advice. The information provided above are meant to be informative, and nothing on this site should be considered as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have concerns about your health, reach out to your primary care doctor or other health care providers. In cases of life-threatening emergencies, call 911 immediately.)

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Bird Flu: What to know as Texas person contracts virus - FOX 10 News Phoenix

Bird flu

Patient who is being treated with an antiviral drug had been in contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected

A person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said on Monday.

The patient is being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness, Texas health officials said. The person had been in contact with dairy cows presumed to be infected, officials reported.

The development comes after milk from dairy cows in Texas and Kansas tested positive for bird flu last week and federal agriculture officials confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas. While the infections have raised alarm, health officials have said the risk to people remains low and that the commercial milk supply is safe as such products are pasteurized before being sold.

Dairy producers have implemented additional biosecurity efforts in response to the infections, including limiting the amount of traffic into and out of farms as well as restricting visits to employees and essential personnel.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday that while the risk to the general public is low, those with close, prolonged and unprotected exposures to infected animals are at greater risk. The CDC will monitor those who may have come into contact with potentially infected animals, the agency said in a statement.

CDC is working closely with state and federal agencies, including USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and local health authorities to further investigate and closely monitor this situation, the agency said.

The virus has been found in hundreds of mammal species globally in recent years.

This bird flu was first identified as a threat to people during a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong. More than 460 people have died in the past two decades from bird flu infections, according to the World Health Organization.

The vast majority of infected people got it directly from birds, but scientists have been on guard for any sign of spread among people.

Its only the second time a person in the United States has been diagnosed with whats known as Type A H5N1 virus. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program contracted the illness while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose county, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

The virus can cause a range of illnesses from eye infection and upper respiratory illnesses to more severe cases, such as pneumonia, and has caused death, the CDC said.

Texas officials didnt identify the newly infected person, and have not yet released any details about what brought them in contact with the cows.

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Person diagnosed with bird flu in Texas, health officials say - The Guardian

A second person in the United States has tested positive for the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus. It was reported by Texas and confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

This person had exposure to dairy cattle in Texas and was presumed to be infected with HPAI A(H5N1) viruses. The patient reported eye redness (consistent with conjunctivitis), as their only symptom, and is recovering.

The patient was told to isolate and is being treated with an antiviral drug for flu. This infection does not change the H5N1 bird flu human health risk assessment for the U.S. general public, which the CDC considers to be low. However, people with close or prolonged, unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals (including livestock) or to environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals are at greater risk of infection.

CDC has interim recommendations for prevention, monitoring, and public health investigations of HPAI A(H5N1) viruses and is working with state health departments to continue monitoring workers who may have been in contact with infected or potentially infected birds/animals and testing those who develop symptoms.

The CDC also recommends that clinicians monitor, test, and administer antiviral treatment to patients with suspected or confirmed avian influenza A virus infections.

This is the second person reported to have tested positive for influenza A(H5N1) viruses in the United States. A previous human case occurred in 2022 in Colorado. Human infections with avian influenza A viruses, including A(H5N1) viruses, are uncommon but have occurred sporadically worldwide.

The CDC has been monitoring for illness among people exposed to H5 virus-infected birds since outbreaks were first detected in U.S. wild birds and poultry in late 2021. Human illnesses with H5N1 bird flu have ranged from mild (e.g., eye infection, upper respiratory symptoms) to severe illness (e.g., pneumonia) that have resulted in death in other countries.

H5 bird flu is widespread among wild birds in the U.S. and globally. These viruses also have caused outbreaks in commercial and backyard poultry flocks, as well as sporadic infections in mammals. HPAI in dairy cows was first reported in Texas and Kansas by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on March 25, 2024

Unpasteurized milk from sick cattle collected from two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as a throat swab from a cow in another dairy in Texas, tested positive for HPAI A(H5) viruses of the genetic clade 2.3.4.4b, which is the same clade that is widespread among birds globally. On March 29, 2024

On March 29, 2024, USDAs National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) confirmed HPAI in a Michigan dairy herd recently receiving cows from Texas. The USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) provides regular updates on detections in dairy herds and information on epidemiological findings and biosecurity guidance for farmers and veterinarians. Preliminary analysis of A(H5N1) viruses has not found changes that would make these viruses resistant to current FDA-approved flu antiviral medications, so these are believed to be effective against these viruses. Candidate vaccine viruses (CVVs) developed against related clade 2.3.4.4b viruses are available for vaccine manufacturing if necessaryand preliminary analysis indicates that they may provide reasonable protection against H5N1 influenza viruses. Seasonal flu vaccines do not protect against these viruses. Analysis of virus samples is ongoing.

CDC works closely with state and federal agencies, including USDA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and local health authorities to further investigate and closely monitor this situation.

Prevention Measures

According to CDCs interim recommendations, people should avoid unprotected exposure to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry (including backyard flocks), other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals (including cattle), as well as with animal carcasses, raw milk, feces (poop), litter, or materials contaminated by birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1)-virus infection. People should not prepare or eat uncooked or undercooked food or related uncooked food products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk, or products made from raw milk, such as cheeses, from animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1)-virus infection (avian influenza or bird flu). Specific recommendations for farmers, poultry, backyard flock, and livestock owners, and worker protection are also available.

People exposed to birds or other animals with confirmed or suspected HPAI A(H5N1) virus infectionshould be monitored for any signs and symptoms of illness for 10 days after the last known exposure, including people wearing recommended personal protective equipment (PPE). Additional information onprotective actions around birds, includingwhat to doif you find a dead bird, is available on CDCs website.

According to the FDA and USDA, there are no concerns about the safety of the commercial milk supply at this time because products are pasteurized before entering the market. Dairies must send only milk from healthy animals into processing for human consumption; milk from impacted animals is being diverted or destroyed so that it does not enter the human food supply. In addition, pasteurization has continually proven to inactivate bacteria and viruses, like influenza, in milk. Pasteurization is required for human consumption of any milk entering interstate commerce. FDAs longstanding position is that unpasteurized, raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that pose serious health risks to consumers. The FDA is reminding consumers of the risks associated with raw milk consumption in light of the HPAI detections.

CDC continues to work with USDA, FDA, and state health departments to monitor people exposed to animals infected with HPAI A(H5N1) viruses. Because influenza viruses constantly change, continued surveillance and preparedness efforts are critical, and CDC is taking measures in case the public health risk assessment changes. This is a developing situation, and CDC will share additional updates as new relevant information becomes available.

To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

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2nd human Avian influenza virus infection reported in the U.S. - Risk remains low - Food Safety News

Key Takeaways

Health officials in Texas say that a person in the state was infected with bird flu after coming into contact with dairy cattle that are presumed to have the virus.

The patients primary symptom was conjunctivitis. They are now taking the antiviral drug oseltamivir, which is also used to treat other flu viruses. Health officials said in a press release that the case does not change the risk for the general public, which remains low.

This is the second human case of bird flu in the U.S. and the first that is linked to cows.

Bird flu, which is also known as avian flu, is a type of influenza A virus that usually doesnt infect people. However, this has happened before.

There have been a number of cases of avian influenza in humans across the globe, but only a couple of cases here in the U.S., Thomas Russo, MD,professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York, told Verywell. Individuals who have acquired avian influenza have had close and prolonged contact with infected animals.

These bird flu illnesses in people have ranged in severity from people who have no symptoms to some having a severe illness that led to death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

There are different types of bird flu. Asian lineage H7N9and Asian lineage H5N1 have caused the most human illnesses from bird flu viruses around the world.

Infected birds usually shed the bird flu virus through their saliva, mucus, and poop. People can then get infected if the virus gets into their eyes, mouth, or nose, such as via inhalation. Most human infections that have happened occur after someone has unprotected contact with infected birds or touches surfaces that are contaminated with bird flu viruses.

Other animals, including pigs, horses, and cows, can also contract bird flu viruses.

It is rare for bird flu viruses to spread from an infected person to another person. However, the CDC noted that it has happened beforeits just only spread to a few people.

Theres no evidence at the moment that this virus has the genetic capacity to spread widely and readily from person to person, William Schaffner, MD,an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, told Verywell.

Theres been a range of symptoms reported in people who have had bird flu, including:

Its less common, but someone with bird flu may also experience diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, or seizures.

The latest bird flu patient had conjunctivitis, which Russo said can happen.

Symptoms are usually more respiratory, but infectious particles can cause infections when they get into the body, including the eyes, he said.

Doctors stress that bird flu is not common in humans at all. The latest case is only the second bird flu case detected in humans in the U.S.

This is more common in other parts of the world where people in rural areas live very close with their poultry, but even then its rare, Schaffner said. There is no evidence of a wide spread of this virus in humans.

Russo agrees. There have only been a small number of cases of avian influenza in people across the globe, he said.

Schaffner points out that the World Health Organization (WHO) has strong surveillance for several types of flu, including bird flu.

Were looking harder and in a more sophisticated way than we were able to look for influenza strains even five years ago, he said. The harder you look, the more youll find.

While bird flu cases in the U.S. have been mild, they have been serious and even deadly abroad.

Influenza is one of those respiratory viruses that can cause pneumonia and interfere with our breathing, Schaffner said. The usual influenza viruses are particularly dangerous for the very young, the very old, frail, and immune-compromised populations.

Russo said that there is a potential concern bird flu spreading more in people, but said theres no sign right now that this is going to spread in the larger population.

For this to be able to infect humans effectively, it needs several mutations, Russo said. But this virus has been around for a while, and so far, we have not seen a high number of cases.

Doctors said that its important for public health experts to continue to monitor bird flu cases in humans, though, especially after the latest strain jumped to cattle.

We dont want to give the virus too many chances, Russo said.

Still, Schaffner stresses that theres no need to panic.

Everyone should take a deep breath and relax, he said.

Unless you work closely with poultry and other livestock, there is no need to worry about contracting bird flu. However, if you had close interaction with birds, cows, or other animals and developed flu-like symptoms afterward, its a good idea to reach out to your doctor about next steps.

By Korin Miller Korin Miller is a health and lifestyle journalist who has been published in The Washington Post, Prevention, SELF, Women's Health, The Bump, and Yahoo, among other outlets.

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Bird Flu Still 'Several Mutations' Away From Infecting Many Humans, Experts Say - Verywell Health

Federal and state health officials today reported that a person connected to a dairy farm in Texas has tested positive for H5N1 avian flu, the first known case linked to sick dairy cows and the nation's second since the virus began circulating in wild bird and poultry in 2022.

Today's case announcement underscores new interim guidance that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released over the weekend on preventing, detecting, and responding to avian flu infections in humans, which are very rare and mainly pose a threat to people who are exposed to sick animals or contaminated environments.

The day before the CDC posted its new guidance, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service announced that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has now been confirmed in a dairy herd in Michigan, bringing the number of affected states to five.

The CDC said today that the patient reported eye redness (conjunctivitis) as the only symptom and is recovering. The patient has been asked to isolate and is being treated with a flu antiviral drug.

The Texas Department of State Health Services (TDSHS) said the person had contact with dairy cows, and it urged healthcare providers to be vigilant for people with symptoms of H5N1 flu, especially in those who have close contact with animals that have suspected infections.

Though conjunctivitis isn't a common symptom of seasonal flu, the TDSHS said it has been seen before in people infected with avian flu viruses.

In its new guidance, the CDC urged people exposed to H5N1 in birds or other animals to monitor themselves for new respiratory symptoms, including conjunctivitis, for 10 days following initial exposure. The monitoring is recommended even for people who wear recommended personal protective equipment.

For patients with conjunctivitis symptoms, the CDC recommends that healthcare providers obtain both conjunctival and nasopharyngeal swab samples.

"CDC is working with state health departments to continue to monitor workers who may have been in contact with infected or potentially infected birds/animals and test those people who develop symptoms," the agency said in its news release today.

Past experience with H5N1 suggests that people who have contact with sick animals are at highest risk. The CDC and its state partners routinely monitor people exposed to the virus, and from January 2022 through September 2023a period when the US poultry industry was hit hard by the virushad monitored about 6,500 people from 52 jurisdictions.

Of those, illnesses were reported in 165 people, and of those, testing revealed H5N1 in only 1, a person who was involved with culling at a poultry farm in Colorado. Fatigue was the man's only symptom. Asymptomatic cases were reported in a few poultry workers in the United Kingdom and Spain who were positive for H5N1 in initial tests, and it's not clear if their results reflected true infection or surface contamination of the upper airway tract.

The H5N1 clade circulating in the United States and several parts of the world, however, has resulted in severe and fatal infections. Globally, at least 12 cases involving the 2.3.4.4b H5N1 clade have been reported, according to CDC background data. The disease was fatal in a patient in China, and Chileans and Ecuadorians had critical illnesses. Nearly all had been exposed to sick or dead birds.

An older H5N1 clade circulating in parts of Asia has been linked to a spate of recent H5N1 infections in Cambodia, most of which were severe or fatal. The cases typically involved people who had exposure to sick poultry.

Federal and state officials in the United States emphasize that the overall risk to the public is very low. With strong safeguards in place for the commercial milk supply, including routine pasteurization, they have repeated their longstanding assertion that raw milk can harbor pathogens and pose serious health risks to consumers.

APHIS said the Michigan dairy herd had recently received cows from Texas, where the virus had already been confirmed. "Spread of symptoms among the Michigan herd also indicates that HPAI transmission between cattle cannot be ruled out," the group said. Similarly, Idaho's agriculture department last week announced that HPAI was detected at a facility that had imported cattle from an earlier-affected state.

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said the dairy herd where HPAI was found is in Montcalm County, which is in the central part of the state. The cattle were moved from Texas before any animals on the source farm showed signs of disease, and they didn't have any symptoms or appear ill when they were moved to Michigan.

Genetic sequencing suggests that the H5N1 virus found in Michigan is very similar to strains confirmed in Texas and Kansas and was probably initially introduced to the dairy herds by wild birds, according to APHIS. So far, sequencing shows no changes in the virus that would make it more transmissible to humans.

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Avian flu infects person exposed to sick cows in Texas - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The United States (US) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday (Apr 5) issued a health alert for the ongoing bird flu crisis in the country. In the advisory, the CDC talked about a recent case of a Texas farm workertesting positive for H5N1 bird flu. "The virus obtained from this person is nearly identical to what has been found in cows and birds in Texas," the CDC said.

The CDC added that there was no sign of person-to-person spread of the virus at this time.

"At this time, CDC believes that the overall risk to the general public posed by this virus remains low," it added.

The CDC further said that the infected farm workerin Texas had exposure to presumably infected cows. The patient reported eye redness, or conjunctivitis, as their only symptom and is recovering. "The patient was told to stay at home away from others and was treated with a flu antiviral drug," the health body added.

Highlighting that the current risk to the public remained low, people with close or long unprotected exposures to infected birds or other animals, or environments contaminated by infected birds or other animals, are at greater risk of infection.

The CDC issued a few precautions:

>People should avoid unprotected exposure to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, other domesticated birds, and other wild or domesticated animals including cows.

>People should avoid unprotected exposures to animal poop, bedding (litter), raw milk, or materials that have been touched by, or close to, birds or other animals with suspected or confirmed H5N1 bird flu.

>The CDC said that people should not prepare or consume uncooked or undercooked food or related uncooked food products, such as unpasteurized (raw) milk, or raw cheeses, from animals with suspected infection.

>Amid concerns about how safe drinking commercial milk is, the CDC said on Friday that it is safe to drink such milk as it is pasteurised before entering the market. Pasteurisation kills bacteria and viruses, like influenza viruses, in milk, it added.

>It is also safe to eat properly handled and cooked poultry.

The CDC also mentioned some recommendations for farmers and livestock owners. It said that such people should avoid unprotected direct physical contact or close exposure with sick or dead birds or other animals, carcasses, faeces, milk, or litter from sick birds or other animals potentially infected or confirmed to be infected with the virus.

"Farmers, workers, and responders should wear recommended PPE such as an N95 filtering facepiece respirator, eye protection, and gloves, and perform thorough hand washing after contact," it added.

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US CDC issues advisory for bird flu crisis in country. Here's look at the precautions - WION

A person in Texas has been diagnosed with bird flu, an infection tied to the recent discovery of the virus in dairy cows, health officials said Monday.

The patient is being treated with an antiviral drug and their only reported symptom was eye redness, Texas health officials said. Health officials say the person had been in contact with cows presumed to be infected, and the risk to the public remains low.

Last week, dairy cows in Texas and Kansas were reported to be infected with bird flu -- and federal agriculture officials later confirmed infections in a Michigan dairy herd that had recently received cows from Texas.

Since 2020, the bird flu virus has been spreading among more animal species -- including dogs, cats, skunks, bears, and even seals and porpoises -- in scores of countries. However, the detection in U.S. livestock is an "unexpected and problematic twist," said Ali Khan, MD, MPH, a former CDC outbreak investigator who is now dean of the University of Nebraska's public health college.

This bird flu was first identified as a threat to people during a 1997 outbreak in Hong Kong. More than 460 people have died in the past two decades from bird flu infections, according to the World Health Organization.

The vast majority of infected people got it directly from birds, but scientists have been on guard for any sign of spread among people. Their biggest concern is that the virus could mutate to spread easily among humans, something that hasn't happened yet.

It's only the second time a person in the United States has been diagnosed with what's known as type A H5N1 virus. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program picked it up while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

Texas officials didn't identify the newly infected person, nor release any details about what brought them in contact with the cows.

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Person Is Diagnosed With Bird Flu After Being in Contact With Cows in Texas - Medpage Today

A producer of fresh eggs in the United States has temporarily shut down a plant in the southwestern state of Texas after the H5N1 strain of bird flu was detected in chickens.

Cal-Maine Foods issued a statement Tuesday that it had destroyed about 1.6 million egg-laying hens and another 337,000 young hens, equaling 3.6% of its total flock, after the virus was detected at the plant.

The company said it was working with government officials at all levels and other industry groups to mitigate the risks of future outbreaks. The company said there is no known risk of bird flu associated with eggs, and that none have been recalled.

Tuesdays announcement came a day after Texas health officials announced that a person who had worked on a dairy farm with cows infected with bird flu tested positive for the virus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control said this is the first case of a person catching bird flu from dairy cattle.

A person in the western state of Colorado tested positive for bird flu in 2022 after he had direct exposure to poultry and the culling of birds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has reported an outbreak of bird flu in 11 dairy cattle herds across the states of Texas, Kansas, Michigan and New Mexico.

Some information for this report came from The Associated Press, Reuters,

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Egg producing plant shut down after discovery of H5N1 bird flu - Voice of America - VOA News