A second human case of bird flu has been confirmed in a dairy worker in Michigan, state and federal health officials announced Wednesday.
Symptoms were mild and consisted of conjunctivitis. The Texas dairy worker who contracted the virus in March also contracted conjunctivitis.
At a news conference Wednesday, Nirav Shah, principal deputy director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said the finding was “not unexpected” and was a scenario “that we had been preparing for.” “.
He said that since the discovery of H5N1 in dairy cattle, state and federal health officials have been closely monitoring farm and slaughterhouse workers and urging farmers and farmworker organizations to “be alert, not alarmed.” .
Federal officials say they still believe the risk of bird flu to human health is low; However, it underscores the need for people who interact with infected or potentially infected farm animals or birds to take precautions, including avoiding dead animals and wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) if close contact is necessary.
Although a nasal swab from the person in Michigan tested negative for influenza, an eye swab from the patient was sent to the CDC and tested positive for influenza A (H5N1) virus.
This is the third case of H5N1 reported in the United States. In 2022, a poultry worker was identified in Colorado.
Although the three U.S. farmworkers' symptoms have been mild, in other parts of the world they have suffered more severe illnesses, including death. According to the World Health Organization, between January 1, 2003 and March 28, 2024, there have been 888 cases of human infection in 23 countries; 463 were fatal.
In preparation for a more widespread outbreak, the CDC updated its guidance on PPE in dairies and issued a nationwide order for healthcare providers to be alert for the new influenza.
On Tuesday, the CDC asked clinical laboratories and health departments to increase the number of influenza samples they test “to maximize the likelihood of contracting a case of H5N1 in the community,” Shah said.
The US Department of Agriculture is also expanding its surveillance and support by providing $1,500 to uninfected farms to bolster biosecurity, and $100 to producers who want to purchase online samplers to test their milk. The agency will also provide $2,000 per farm to cover veterinary fees for testing, as well as shipping costs to send those tests to labs for analysis.
No cases of H5N1 have been detected in California dairy herds.
Officials said ongoing analysis of the country's dairy supply suggests it is safe to consume, even though the risk to human health is low, a Strategic Preparedness and Response Administration official said it will make Tamiflu available from those who request it “in jurisdictions that do not have their own pool and are responding to pre-symptomatic people with exposure to confirmed or suspected infected birds, livestock or other animals.”
Dawn O'Connell, deputy secretary of the preparedness agency, said it has begun the “fill and finish” process of approximately 4.8 million vaccine doses “that match well with the strain of H5N1 currently circulating through the stockpile.” national pre-pandemic influenza vaccine. program.”
He said the decision to begin H5N1 vaccinations was not a response to any larger concerns, but because it takes several months to fill and finish vaccine doses, the agency “thought it made sense given what we were seeing.” .
