Category: Flu Virus

ST. PAUL A Stevens County juvenile goat residing on a farm with a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza positive poultry flock tested positive for the same virus.

This is the first U.S. detection of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in a domestic ruminant (cattle, sheep, goats, and their relatives), according to a news release from the Minnesota Board of Animal Health. All poultry on the property were already quarantined from the February avian influenza detection. Stevens County is located in west central Minnesota.

Following the confirmation of flu in the goat, the Board quarantined all other species on the premises. The Board is working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to investigate the transmission of the virus in this case.

This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species, said State Veterinarian, Dr. Brian Hoefs in the news release. Thankfully, research to-date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means theyre unlikely to spread HPAI further.

Earlier this month the owner notified the Board of unusual deaths of newly kidded goats on the property where a backyard poultry flock was depopulated due to avian influenza in February. The goats and poultry had access to the same space, including a shared water source. One of the goat carcasses was taken to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, where it tested positive for influenza A. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories later confirmed H5N1 HPAI, which is the same virus circulating in the national outbreak that began in 2022. Samples from the adult goats were negative for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza and all appear healthy; no more sick goat kids have been reported since March 11, according to the Board of Animal Health.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza has been previously diagnosed in other mammalian species such as skunks, dogs and cats, according to the Board of Animal Health. Animals with weakened or immature immune systems, like the goat kids in this case, are at higher risk of contracting disease. There has been limited experimental data on HPAI infection in ruminants, and there are no prior reports of natural HPAI infection in goats. The USDA has tracked more than 200 detections of HPAI in mammals across the country since the start of the 2022 HPAI outbreak.

Courtesy USDA

The Minnesota Department of Health provided recommendations for personal protective equipment and is monitoring the health of those in direct contact with the infected goats. Anyone who develops respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms after exposure to the goats may be voluntarily tested for avian influenza and other respiratory pathogens. The risk to the public is extremely low, and any risk of infection is limited to people in direct contact with infected animals. To date, no people in the United States have become ill following contact with mammals infected with this virus.

Biosecurity is the first line of defense for anyone to protect their animals from disease and includes simple measures like cleaning equipment and housing regularly, separating livestock from wild animals, and calling your veterinarian when animals appear sick. To learn more important steps to protect animals from HPAI and other diseases, visit the Boards biosecurity webpage . For more information on the Boards work to combat the spread of HPAI in Minnesota, please visit their response webpage .

Our newsroom occasionally reports stories under a byline of "staff." Often, the "staff" byline is used when rewriting basic news briefs that originate from official sources, such as a city press release about a road closure, and which require little or no reporting. At times, this byline is used when a news story includes numerous authors or when the story is formed by aggregating previously reported news from various sources. If outside sources are used, it is noted within the story.

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Minnesota goat is first in the country to test positive for avian influenza virus - Agweek

There has been an outbreak of H5N1 bird flu in Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasos capital. The viral disease, also called avian influenza, killed 441 chickens out of a flock of 641 on a farm.

There have been several outbreaks bird flu across Africa over the past 18 years. Nigeria was the first African country to report an outbreak in February 2006.

Daniel Oluwayelu, a virologist and bird flu expert, tells us more about the disease.

Avian influenza, or bird flu, is a highly contagious viral disease of birds caused by the influenza A viruses. It was previously known as fowl plague and was recognised as an infectious disease of poultry in Italy as far back as 1878.

Although avian influenza A viruses occur naturally among wild aquatic birds worldwide, they are also known to infect other animals, including ducks, chickens, turkeys, pigs, whales, horses, seals, dogs and cats.

Exposure to animal influenza viruses can lead to infection and disease in humans ranging from mild, flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease or death.

Domestic poultry may be infected with two types of bird flu viruses: highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A viruses or low pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A viruses. All outbreaks of the highly pathogenic form have been caused by influenza A viruses of the sub-types H5 and H7.

The highly pathogenic viruses spread quickly and may kill nearly an entire poultry flock within 48 hours. The low pathogenic viruses may not cause symptoms or may cause only mild symptoms such as ruffled feathers or a drop in egg production.

Influenza A viruses circulate in their natural hosts: wild aquatic birds. Infected birds shed the bird flu virus in their saliva, mucus and faeces. Transmission or spread of the virus occurs primarily by the oral-faecal pathways through direct contact with secretions from infected birds, especially through faeces or indirectly through contaminated feed and surface water.

Most bird flu viruses, including sub-types H5 and H7, are of low pathogenicity and cause sub-clinical infections of the intestinal or respiratory tract. This means they do not easily cause disease and have only mild symptoms. The virus is spread mainly through faeces and droplets released during coughing and sneezing.

Highly pathogenic viruses have been proven to emerge after transmission from the wild bird reservoir and adaptation of low pathogenic virus sub-types H5 or H7 to new poultry hosts and subsequent mutation. A less dangerous virus spreads from wild birds to poultry and mutates to become more dangerous.

Low pathogenic strains result in mild or asymptomatic infections, whereas highly pathogenic strains cause up to 100% morbidity and mortality in animals.

Avian influenza A viruses are a public and occupational health concern. Human infection with LPAI and HPAI viruses can lead to infections and diseases in humans, ranging from mild to severe flu-like symptoms or eye inflammation to severe, acute respiratory disease and death. They may change into a form that is highly infectious in humans and spread easily from person to person.

As these viruses threaten domestic poultry globally, they are also a risk to people who have contact with poultry worldwide, including poultry farmers, farm workers, veterinarians, and sellers and butchers of chickens at live bird markets.

The virus may be transmitted to humans from contact with infected wild birds or poultry that are sick or dead, droppings of infected birds, contaminated litter, and contaminated materials or surfaces such as egg collection containers.

People rarely get bird flu; however, human infections with bird flu viruses can happen if enough virus is inhaled or gets into a persons mouth, eyes, or nose. Bird flu infections happen most often after people have had close, prolonged and unprotected (no gloves or other personal protective equipment) contact with infected birds and then touch their mouths, eyes, or noses.

Infections with bird flu viruses are difficult to eradicate and so efforts should be made to prevent their occurrence.

The best prevention is to avoid sources of exposure. Infection of poultry flocks can be prevented by practising biosecurity measures on farms. Biosecurity refers to steps taken to protect birds from harmful biological agents like viruses, bacteria, and parasites. In commercial poultry production, this generally means total confinement operations with strict rules to maintain flock health such as shower-in and out systems, special clothing and disinfection.

Vaccination is highly regulated and restricted in many countries, and not even approved in other countries.

People should minimise contact with birds in areas known to be affected by bird flu viruses, including farms and settings where live animals may be sold or slaughtered. They should also avoid contact with surfaces that appear to be contaminated with bird faeces.

The public should be educated to avoid contact with sick or dead animals, including wild birds, and report cases of unusually high deaths of birds to veterinary authorities.

People should observe hand hygiene, preferably washing their hands thoroughly either with soap and running water or using alcohol-based hand sanitisers as frequently as possible, but especially before and after contact with animals and their environments.

Steps that can be taken to control or stop the spread of bird flu include:

destroying birds carrying or suspected of carrying the virus

avoiding unprotected contact with birds and bird secretions or excrement

education of all poultry value-chain workers on the risks of the disease and personal protective measures that can be followed.

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Bird flu: what is it, how does it spread and how can we protect ourselves from it? - The Conversation Indonesia

With the Spring Break holiday, thousands of Americans have been travelling across the country. While vacations are necessary, they pose a risk of contracting contagious viruses. Recently, norovirus has been on the rise in the United States, causing illnesses among many. As the cases are on the rise, heres what you need to know about the highly contagious virus:

Norovirus or Norwalk virus is a highly contagious virus that affects the gastrointestinal tract. It is commonly known as stomach flu or stomach bug. Anyone can get infected with this virus and fall sick, CDC says. It is important to note that it is not related to the flu, which is caused by the influenza virus. CDC adds that it causes inflammation of the stomach or intestines. This condition is called acute gastroenteritis.

S. Wesley Long, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Diagnostic Microbiology at Houston Methodist Hospital, says, Its very contagious and easily spread on surfaces and through close person-to-person contact. Dahlia Philips, MD, an infectious disease physician and Medical Director at MetroPlusHealth, notes that norovirus is transmitted by the fecal-oral route.

A person who has been infected by norovirus will usually develop symptoms 12 to 48 hours after the exposure. While most people start feeling better within one to three days, they can still spread the virus for a few days. According to CDC, some of the symptoms of norovirus are:

Since norovirus is highly contagious, one of the most important ways to avoid contracting it is by washing your hands well with soap and water. It is crucial to wash hands prior to handling any type of food item, especially while eating and cooking. Other preventive measures listed by CDC are:

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What is norovirus? Symptoms to watch out for amid outbreak in US - Hindustan Times

Bird flu has reached goats for the first time, a development officials call significant in the nationwide outbreak that began two years ago.

Several baby goats in western Minnesota died earlier this month after being infected with the same strain of avian influenza that has killed millions of birds across the country since 2022, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced this week.

While bird flu has found its way to mammals like dogs and skunks before, this is the first time in the United States the virus has been found in a ruminant a group of animals that includes cattle, sheep and goats.

"It highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species," state veterinarian Dr. Brian Hoefs said in a statement. "Thankfully, research to date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means they're unlikely to spread [the virus] further."

A backyard flock of 23 chickens and ducks in Stevens County was depopulated in February after the H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was found in the birds. Not long after, the owner reached out to state officials about "unusual deaths of newly kidded goats," which shared the same space and water source as the poultry flock, according to the animal health board.

Five of the 10 goat kids that died, which were all younger than two weeks old, tested positive for bird flu, according to a report filed at the World Organisation for Animal Health.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with the state Board of Animal Health to investigate the transmission.

"The risk to the public is extremely low, and any risk of infection is limited to people in direct contact with infected animals," the board said. "To date, no people in the United States have become ill following contact with mammals infected with this virus."

The larger risk comes from increased animal-to-animal transmission, said Michael Osterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota.

"The evolution of the virus makes it much more likely to infect other species," he said. "It's not surprising that we're going to see other mammals living close to other species get infected."

But as the virus has mutated since it first appeared in Hong Kong in 1997, it has become less of a threat to humans, Osterholm said. "We're watching this closely, things could change tomorrow, but for now there is low risk for human transmission."

There has not been an outbreak at a commercial poultry farm in Minnesota since late December. Statewide, more than 6 million birds, mostly turkeys, have died from the virus or been culled to prevent its spread since early 2022.

Minnesota is the nation's leading turkey producer, and it lies in a major migration pathway. Scientists say migrating waterfowl are the main source of bird flu transmission. The extremely contagious virus can travel on dust particles for miles through the air, and the virus is present in the fecal matter of infected birds.

Those with backyard poultry flocks are urged to follow strict biosecurity guidelines, especially as the spring migration picks up.

"Animals with weakened or immature immune systems, like the goat kids in this case, are at higher risk of contracting disease," the board said. "Biosecurity is the first line of defense for anyone to protect their animals from disease and includes simple measures like cleaning equipment and housing regularly, separating livestock from wild animals, and calling your veterinarian when animals appear sick."

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Baby goats in Minnesota die after being infected with bird flu, a first - Star Tribune

The Minnesota Board of Animal Health (MBAH) today announced that highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has been detected in a baby goat that lived on a farm where an outbreak had recently been detected in poultry. Todays announcement marks the first US detection in livestock.

Health officials, including the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), are investigating the transmission of the virus on the farm, which is located in Stevens County in west-central Minnesota. All species on the farm have been placed under quarantine. Poultry had already been quarantined following the February outbreak.

"This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species, " said Minnesota state veterinarian Brian Hoefs, DVM. " Thankfully, research to-date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means theyre unlikely to spread HPAI further."

The goats were tested after the farmer noticed unusual deaths in newborn goats, which followed culling of poultry as part of the response to the February outbreak. The goats and the poultry shared the same space, as well as the same water source.

One of the goats was taken to the Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostics Laboratory, where testing revealed influenza A. Follow-up tests at the USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratory in Ames, Iowa, identified the virus as H5N1, the same virus that has been circulating in wild birds and poultry in multiple countries, including the United States.

The USDA reported the notification to the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), which had a few more details about the findings. The report said the goats at the farm began to kid only days after the poultry, which included chickens and ducks, were depopulated. Ten goats died, which ranged from 5 to 9 days old. Brain and tissue samples from five goat kids were positive for H5N1, which belonged to clade 2.3.4.4b.

Genomic sequencing revealed that samples from the first goat and poultry from the farm were highly related.

The MBAH noted that HPAI has been detected in other mammal species such as skunks, dogs, and cats. However, animals with weakened or immature immune systems, such as the newborn goats, are at increased risk of contracting the disease.

As part of the response, the Minnesota Department of Health is monitoring people who had contact with the goats and issued recommendations for personal protective equipment use in that setting.

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Avian flu detected for first time in US livestock - University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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A goat in Minnesota has tested positive for thehighly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), or bird flu, marking the first U.S. case of bird flu in domestic cattle, sheep, goats or their relatives.

The positive juvenile goat was residing on a Stevens County farm that already had bird flu infected poultry, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced Wednesday. All poultry on the property were already quarantined from the HPAI detection in February.

Following the goats positive result, the board says it quarantined all other species on the premises and is working with the Dept. of Agriculture (USDA) to investigate the transmission of the virus in the case.

File photo: A baby goat sticks his head through a fence in New York. (Lori Van Buren/Albany Times Union via Getty Images)

'ZOMBIE DEER DISEASE' CONCERNS SCIENTISTS OVER POSSIBLE SPREAD TO HUMANS

"This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species," Dr. Brian Hoefs, the state veterinarian, said in a statement.

"Thankfully, research to date has shown mammals appear to be dead-end hosts, which means theyre unlikely to spread HPAI further."

The board says the risk to the public is extremely low, and any risk of infection is limited to people in direct contact with infected animals. To date, nobody in the U.S. has become ill following contact with mammals infected with this virus.

HPAI is a serious disease that requires rapid response because it is highly contagious and is often fatal to chickens, the Dept. of Agriculture says.

According to the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, the owner in the goat case notified the agency earlier this month of unusual deaths of newly kidded goats on the property where a backyard poultry flock was depopulated due to HPAI in February.

The goats and poultry had access to the same space, including a shared water source, the board said in a press release.

One of the goat carcasses was taken to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (VDL), where it tested positive for influenza A. The National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) later confirmed it was H5N1 HPAI, the same virus circulating in the national outbreak that began in 2022.

Millions of chickens, turkeys and other birds were slaughtered this year because of the outbreak.

Chickens walk in a fenced pasture at an organic farm in Iowa in 2015. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)

WISCONSIN DEER FARM INFECTED WITH FATAL BRAIN DISEASE

Samples from the adult goats were negative for HPAI and all appeared healthy with no more sick goat kids being reported since March 11.

HPAI has been previously diagnosed in other mammalian species such as skunks, dogs and cats.

Animals with weakened or immature immune systems, like the goat kids in this case, are at higher risk of contracting disease, the board said.

There are no prior reports of natural HPAI infection in goats.

A turkey from Old Glory Farm in Elkhorn, Wisconsin. (Fox News Digital/ Jon Michael Raasch)

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There has been limited experimental data on HPAI infection in ruminants, and USDA has tracked more than 200 detections of HPAI in mammalsacross the country since the start of the 2022 HPAI outbreak.

The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) provided recommendations for personal protective equipment and is monitoring the health of those in direct contact with the infected goats.

Any person who develops respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms after exposure to the goats may be voluntarily tested for avian influenza and other respiratory pathogens.

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Goat in Minnesota tests positive for bird flu, first ever US case - Fox News

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A goat in Minnesota has tested positive for bird flu, the first case of its kind to ever occur in the United States.

The young goat which tested positive for the illness had been living on a farm with a poultry flock that was also positive for Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, the Minnesota Board of Animal Health announced.

The Board said that this is the first detection of this flu in a goat in the United States there has been.

Bird flu is caused by infection with avian influenza viruses, which naturally spreads among wild aquatic birds worldwide, the CDC says.

The poultry flock had been quarantined since they were detected in February, and after the young goat was also found positive, all animals on the farm in Stevens County were quarantined.

The animal health authorities are still investigating how the virus was transmitted to the goat and are working with the US Department of Agriculture on the case.

This finding is significant because, while the spring migration is definitely a higher risk transmission period for poultry, it highlights the possibility of the virus infecting other animals on farms with multiple species, Dr Brian Hoefs, a state veterinarian, said.

Mr Hoefs added that, thankfully, all current research shows that mammals are dead-end hosts meaning he thinks its unlikely that the flu will spread further.

The farm owner told the Board earlier this month that he has an unusually high number of deaths among his newly kidded goats on the same property where his poultry flock was depopulated due to the flu in February.

The owners goats and poultry had access to the same space and had a shared water source.

One of the dead goats carcasses was taken to the University of Minnesota for further testing and found that the goat tested positive for influenza, with the National Veterinary Services Laboratories later confirming it was bird flu.

Samples were taken from adult goats on the farm, but they were all negative and appeared to be healthy. No more sick goats have been reported since.

The Board say that animals with weakened or immature immune systems, such as the young goats, are at higher risk of contracting the disease.

The goat is not the first mammal species to have contracted the disease, as skunks, dogs, and cats have also been previously diagnosed.

A national outbreak of the illness, called H5N1 HPAI, broke out in 2022, and the USDA has tracked more than 200 detections of HPAI in mammals across the United States since the start of the outbreak.

The same strain from the outbreak was also found in the goat by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories.

There has been limited experimental data on HPAI infection in ruminants, and there are no prior reports of natural HPAI infection in goats, the Board said.

While no humans in the United States have been known to become ill following contact with mammals infected with the virus, according to the Board, rare sporadic cases of human infections with bird flu viruses have occurred worldwide in the past, the CDC said.

The Board recommends that anyone who has been exposed to the infected goats and develops respiratory or gastrointestinal symptoms may be tested for avian influenza and other illnesses.

The Board added that the risk to the public is extremely low, and they are already monitoring the health of those known to have been in direct contact with the infected goats.

It was only earlier this year that it was revealed an Alaskan polar bear also became the first of its species to reportedly die from avian influenza.

It is thought that the animal had been eating the carcasses of dead birds that had contracted the disease. Its body was discovered in October and experts tested the remains, which came back positive for the virus.

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Minnesota goat becomes first to test positive for bird flu in US - The Independent

CLEVELAND, Ohio Ohio for weeks has had some of the highest flu rates in the country, with Cuyahoga County leading the state in flu-related hospitalizations.

But theres another side to the trend. Hospitalizations in Cuyahoga County are actually down this year over a year ago. In fact, outside of two COVID-19 seasons when flu reports dropped to very low levels, this could end up being the lowest year for flu-related hospitalizations in the county since 2015-16.

And county health officials have rated overall flu activity as low for much of the current season.

How could Cuyahoga County be ranked No. 1 for hospitalizations and the rate per 100,000 residents, yet be reporting low flu activity for the last seven straight weeks? The Ohio Department of Health deferred to the county.

Flu activity levels are calculated using factors beyond just hospitalizations, said Vino Panakkal, epidemiologist supervisor at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

The flu activity rating is determined by the county through four variables: hospitalizations, school absenteeism, emergency department activity, and over-the-counter medication sales, Panakkal said. These are many of the same criteria the state uses to monitor flu activity.

For example, for the week ending March 10, the county reported 62 flu-related hospitalizations, school absenteeism for any illness at 4% (a flu breakdown was not available), 200 emergency-room visits for flu-like symptoms, and about 230 over-the-counter sales of flu medicines and thermometers.

For that particular week, versus the same week the previous year, numbers were up slightly, with the exception of being down for the medicine sales. But both emergency room visits and medicine/thermometer sales through the season have been running below the five-year median.

As for hospitalizations, the county to date this season has accounted for 12.1% of the flu hospitalizations statewide, down from 13% a year ago. In some years it has been much higher, such as 18.7% in 2019-20, 17.2% in 2015-16 and 16.1% in 2017-18, according to the Ohio Department of Health.

And in pure numbers, in comparison to the 922 hospitalizations so far this flu season, there were 1,156 at this time last season. Season totals in recent years have been as high as 2,769 in 2017-18 and 2,060 in 2019-20.

Yet Cuyahoga County has a rate of 7.83 flu-related hospitalizations this season per 100,000 residents the highest in Ohio, according to state data released Friday.

That rate is well above the hospitalization rates for other populous counties, such as Franklin, home of Columbus (5.57); Hamilton, home of Cincinnati (5.17); and Montgomery, home of Dayton (5.29).

Additionally, the share of hospitalizations in Cuyahoga County has shrunk over the last few weeks.

Theres no research on why Cuyahoga has higher hospitalizations than other counties, Panakkal said.

Statewide, Ohios level of flu activity is ranked very high, after weeks of increasing flu spread, according to CDC. Only Ohio, Nebraska and the District of Columbia were rated as very high for influenza spread in the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map released on Friday, though the data used for the update lags by a week.

Through early March, Cuyahoga County had seen nine flu-related deaths, down from 16 at the same time last year, Panakkal said.

The flu season typically runs from October to May.

(Flu activity) is definitely not as high as it was last year, Panakkal said.

Elsewhere regionally, Summit County reported moderate flu activity, and Medina Countys flu activity is under its five-year average. Ashtabula Countys flu activity is running low to moderate.

Yet, flu activity is high in Lorain County, and some indicators are above five-year averages in Geauga and Lake counties.

Nationally, CDCs preliminary assessment puts this season as moderate for all ages.

Panakkal said she needed a more in-depth look at flu county vaccine data to determine why flu spread is low to moderate in Cuyahoga and some nearby counties, but high in the rest of the state. Nationally, just under half the people have received the vaccine.

After five weeks of sharp decline between late December and early February, the number of weekly flu hospital admissions nationally has been trending downward slightly since mid-February.

The CDC estimates that there have been at least 28 million illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 20,000 deaths across the country from flu so far this season.

The CDC ranks a flu seasons severity by looking at the number of Americans who sought medical care for flu-like illness, how many were hospitalized for flu, and how many flu deaths occurred.

The effectiveness of this seasons flu vaccine against the influenza A and B strains in circulation this winter helped slow spread of the virus and protected those who got the jab from serious illness, health experts say.

The flu shot was as much as 44% effective in preventing flu-related hospitalizations in adults, and up to 61% effective in preventing flu-related hospitalizations in children, said a recent CDC report. Its about the same as in previous years.

Thats pretty good, especially for children, Panakkal said.

This influenza season has followed the usual cadence of peaking in December and early January, then decreasing in March, Panakkal said. The flu season officially ends in May.

However, everyone should remain vigilant against all of the winter respiratory viruses influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus as winter winds down. These viruses can cause severe illness, especially in the elderly and people with weakened immune systems, Panakkal said.

More than 100 children have died of the flu this season across the country, according to the CDC, though there have been no pediatric deaths reported in the Cleveland area. Children with underlying health problems are more at risk for severe outcomes if they catch influenza.

Flu prevention measures, including getting a flu vaccine, practicing good hygiene such as frequent hand washing, and staying home when sick.

Flu activity locally and nationally was much higher in the years prior to COVID-19. For instance, Cuyahoga County ended the 2019-20 flu season with 39 flu-related deaths and more than 2,000 hospitalizations numbers far above this seasons statistics, Panakkal said.

Something similar has been seen in Ashtabula County, said Elizabeth Holden, emergency preparedness coordinator/epidemiologist for Ashtabula County Health Department.

The influenza virus is constantly adapting and mutating. The COVID-19 pandemic has surely impacted the way the virus interacts with its hosts, Holden said.

During the height of COVID-19 response, influenza-associated hospitalizations in Ashtabula County decreased. Since the 2022-2023 flu season cases have begun to return to normal numbers, Holden said.

Researchers arent certain why the flu has been less severe post-COVID-19, Panakkal said. Increased awareness overall about vaccines in general and the importance of hand washing, along with more acceptance of mask wearing and staying home when sick, may be among the contributing factors, she said.

Among Cuyahoga and its surrounding counties, Lake County has seen the highest number of flu-related deaths this season at 11, followed by Summit County with eight and Geauga County with seven, while Ashtabula County has recorded zero flu-related deaths, according to data available through March 9.

There were two deaths reported each in Lorain and Medina counties. Portage County health officials said they do not receive reports on flu deaths.

In Lake and Geauga counties, the current influenza season is worse than the previous five-year average, said epidemiologist Joseph Rombough, who has access to data from Lake and Geauga counties.

In Geauga County, there were 68 flu-related hospitalizations so far this season, more than in the entire previous flu season, Rombough said.

There have been slightly more Lake County flu-related hospitalizations so far this season (171), than the entire 2022-23 flu season (163), according to county data. Rombough said.

Elsewhere, after Cuyahoga Countys 922 hospitalizations, there have been 314 for Summit, 237 for Lorain, 121 for Medina and 70 for Ashtabula. No data was available for Portage County.

Julie Washington covers healthcare for cleveland.com. Read previous stories at this link.

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Cuyahoga County has highest flu hospitalization rate in Ohio, but numbers are down this year - cleveland.com

The avian influenza outbreak killed millions of birds across 5 of the 7 continents in 2022. In the first 6 months of that year, more than 69 million farmed birds were culled and 34,000 wild birds died from the virus, though this is likely to be underestimated.

The scientists found that the 2020 outbreak of the H5N8 genotype instead of the G0 genotype produced reassortment opportunities and led to the emergence of a new H5N1 virus with G1s HA and MP genes, causing a significant outbreak in Europe and North America. And through the wild bird migration flyways investigation, the Chinese researchers found that the temporal-spatial coincidence between the H5N8 G1 virus and the bird autumn migration may have expanded the H5 viral spread, which may be one of the main drivers of the emergence of the 2020-22 H5 panzootic.

In the paper Spatiotemporal genotype replacement of H5N8 avian influenza viruses contributed to H5N1 emergence in 2021/2022 panzootic, published in the journal Journal of Virology, the authors say that since 2020, highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 subtype variants of clade 2.3.4.4b have spread across continents, but until now the factors promoting the genesis and spread of the H5 HPAI viruses have been unclear.

But in this research, the scientists found that the spatiotemporal genotype replacement of H5N8 HPAI viruses contributed to the emergence of the H5N1 variant that caused the 2021/23 panzootic. They found that the viral evolution in poultry of Egypt and surrounding area and autumn bird migration from the Russia-Kazakhstan region to Europe are important drivers. These findings, they say, provide important targets for early warning and could help control the current and future HPAI epidemics.

The publication Nature Asia reported that a team of international researchers revealed that the virus mutated to spread 3 times faster among wild birds than it did in farmed poultry in 2020 and has caused a significant rise in incidental infections in wild carnivores, mink and marine animals.

Rabeh Al-Shishini, virologist at Egypts National Research Centre, said Egypt began vaccinating poultry with vaccines around 2005/6 against an avian influenza subvariant, but it became endemic in Egypt until 2017, when poultry and wild birds were infected with another bird flu subvariant (H5N8) that caused global spikes in 2020/1.

The 2016 and 2017 outbreak in Egypt is attributable to multiple reasons, including the absence of effective vaccines against the prevailing bird flu variants, said the virologist. The newest H5N1 strains has evolved from, and almost entirely replaced, the H5N8 strain that emerged in Egypt in 2016.

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Evolution of deadly bird flu strain stems from gene exchanges - Poultry World

Norovirus, the extremely contagious stomach bug which leads to diarrhea and vomiting, is spreading in the United States. As spring nears, norovirus cases continue to climb across the country, surging in the Northeast and South.

Respiratory virus activity may be slowing down, but the 2023-2024 norovirus season is still well underway. Nationally, norovirus is circulating at the highest levels since last April, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Norovirus, also known as the "stomach flu" or food poisoning, spreads easily among people in enclosed settings. As cases and outbreaks spike across the U.S., public health officials are urging Americans to take precautions to stop the spread.

Although norovirus is commonly called the stomach flu, it is not related to the flu, which is caused by influenza viruses.

Norovirus is a leading cause of acute gastroenteritis, or an inflammation of the lining of the stomach and intestines, per the CDC. This can result in intense bouts of vomiting, diarrhea, nausea and stomach cramps.

Symptoms usually begin 12 to 48 hours after exposure these are often sudden and very unpleasant, but most people will recover on their own.

This is the dreaded virus that leaves us in the bathroom for about a day or two, weve all been there, NBC News medical contributor Dr. Tara Narula said on TODAY in a segment on Feb. 27.

Norovirus is highly contagious, and anyone can become infected. Every year in the U.S., it causes about 20 million cases of vomiting and diarrhea, 465,000 emergency room visits, 109,000 hospitalizations and 900 deaths,per the CDC.

Although norovirus can spread year-round, outbreaks are most common during the late fall, winter, and early spring. As of late March, norovirus cases are still climbing in the U.S.

According to the latest data from laboratories across the country reporting to the CDC, the rate of norovirus tests coming back positive, averaged over three weeks,was over 12.2% as of Mar. 9 up from about 9% in mid-January.

Outbreaks have also been rising steadily in recent months. From Aug. 1, 2023 to Feb. 12, 2024, there were 759 norovirus outbreaks reported by the 15 states participating in the CDCs NoroSTAT surveillance program. During the same period the last seasonal year, there were 521 norovirus outbreaks reported.

Currently,norovirusoutbreak activityin the United States is within the range we would expect for this time of year and is within the range reported during the same time periods in previous years, a spokesperson for CDC tells TODAY.com.

We generally see an increase during winter and are continuing to monitor this," the CDC spokesperson added.

Outbreaks of norovirus are impacting communities nationwide, but certain regions of the country are getting hit harder than others.

The Northeast has the highest positivity rate of any region, and norovirus is currently circulating at the highest levels since April of last year. The percent of tests coming back positive in the Northeast, averaged over three weeks, was nearly 14% as of Mar. 9 and over 15% in February, per the latest CDC data.

Cities such as Philadelphia have reported spikes in norovirus outbreaks, prompting public health officials to urge residents to take precautions, NBC Philadelphia reported.

"Data from thenortheastern regionof the United States look similar to what we would expect for this time of year, says a CDC spokesperson.

The next hardest-hit region in the U.S. is the South, which saw a three-week positivity rate of 13.5% as of Mar. 9, according to the CDC, followed by the Western U.S.

An elementary school in Fairhope, Alabama, was closed for two days due to a suspected outbreak of norovirus that sickened an alarming number of students and staff members, NBC News affiliate NBC15 in Mobile, Alabama, reported.

"We're also seeing a big spike in California," Dr. Joanna TurnerBisgrove, a family medicine physician and assistant professor at RUSH University Medical Center, tells TODAY.com.

The infamous stomach bug is also spreading at sea. Since the start of 2024, there have been three confirmed norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships under U.S. jurisdiction, which have sickened hundreds of passengers, per the CDC.

Norovirus cases and outbreaks are most common between November and April. Norovirus is actually a seasonal virus ... and usually the peak within that window is between January and early March," Dr. Ericka Hayes, senior medical director of infection prevention at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, tells TODAY.com.

During the colder winter months, people tend to spend more time gathered indoors, which makes it easier for infectious diseases like norovirus to spread quickly between people, says Bisgrove.

The current surge in norovirus is not surprising, the experts note, but rather an expected increase that occurs every winter in the U.S. Its following pretty classic trends, says Bisgrove.

Last winter was a tough norovirus season for the U.S., as virus activity rebounded to pre-pandemic levels following the dropping of COVID-19 restrictions. Cases peaked in early March 2023, but norovirus activity still remained high well into the spring.

In 2023,norovirus outbreaks also surged on cruise ships, reaching the highest levels seen in over a decade.

Compared to the past years, we are in the same neighborhood, if not a little bit more (in terms of) the number of outbreaks in the region and nationally, but we are well within the normal range, says Hayes.

"Norovirus is an extraordinarily contagious virus. It's one of the most contagious kind of pathogens, viral or bacterial," says Hayes.

Infected people shed billions of norovirus particles in their stool and vomit, and it only takes a few virus particles to make another person sick, Hayes adds.

People typically get norovirus when these tiny particles end up in their mouths, TODAY.com previously reported. This can occur through direct person-to-person contact, consuming contaminated food or liquids, or touching contaminated surfaces then putting your unwashed fingers in your mouth.

It can spread rapidly through schools, day cares, nursing homes and other enclosed settings where people are gathered close together, says Bisgrove. Norovirus is also the leading cause of foodborne illness outbreaks in the U.S., per the CDC.

A person who has been infected can continue to shed the virus for about two weeks after their symptoms are gone and they feel better, says Bisgrove.

These are the most common symptoms of norovirus in children and adults, according to the experts:

Other possible symptoms include a headache, body aches and a low-grade fever,per the CDC.

The first signs of norovirus may include a sudden loss of appetite, stomach pain or generally feeling out of it, says Bisgrove.

These are typically followed by intense vomiting and watery diarrhea, though these may occur at the same time. "It's usually a very abrupt onset and unfortunately, there's quite a lot of it. ... Patients may have dozens of stools per day," says Hayes.

Norovirus symptoms usually last for 24 to 72 hours. "Due to all the vomiting and diarrhea you may also feel weakness, fatigue or lightheadedness," says Bisgrove.

People with norovirus may become dehydrated due to the loss of fluids through vomit and diarrhea. Symptoms of dehydration include decreased urination, dry mouth or dizziness, per the CDC. Signs in children include crying without tears, becoming fussy or suddenly lethargic and sleepy, says Hayes.

Blood in the vomit or stool is not a normal symptom of norovirus, says Bisgrove, and could be a sign of something more serious. "If you see blood, go to the emergency room," says Bisgrove.

There is no specific treatment or medicine for norovirus, and the vast majority of people will recover on their own at home, the experts note.

It's important to rest and consume plenty of fluids and electrolytes to replenish those lost through vomiting and diarrhea, says Bisgrove. These include water, sports drinks and oral rehydration fluids but avoid drinks with caffeine or alcohol until you recover.

"We also recommend bland, simple foods (rice, bananas, broths) that (the) body can handle and are more likely to stay down," says Bisgrove.

If symptoms become severe, persist for longer than a few days, or you are unable to keep fluids down or urinate, seek care, says Bisgrove. Some people may need additional support or IV fluids to prevent dehydration or its complications.

Certain groups are at a higher risk of developing complications, including children, the elderly and people with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems, says Bisgrove.

Children under 5 years old and adults 85 and older are more likely to visit the emergency room, per the CDC.

Norovirus is an incredibly hardy virus. "It's hard to disinfect, and it's resistant to a lot of standard cleaners," says Narula.

Alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not work well against norovirus, the experts note, so good hand-washing is key this means washing your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, per the CDC. Wash your hands after using the bathroom, after changing diapers and before eating.

If you are sick with norovirus, the experts recommend taking the following steps to prevent spreading the virus to others:

Caroline Kee is a health reporter at TODAY based in New York City.

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Norovirus 2024: Highly Contagious Stomach Bug Is Spiking In US - TODAY