CDC Confirms First Human Case of Severe Bird Flu In US

The CDC has confirmed the first case of severe bird flu in the United States. NPR reports: Louisiana health officials initially reported the infection last week, saying a person was hospitalized after being exposed to sick and dead birds in backyard flocks. On Wednesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shared their findings that indicate the H5N1 virus responsible for the illness belongs to a genetic lineage that's circulating in wild birds and poultry -- different from what's spreading in dairy cattle and driving the majority of infections in agricultural workers.

In the U.S., more than 60 people have been infected so far, although some research suggests the official tally may be an undercount. The illnesses linked to dairy cattle have largely led to mild illnesses in humans.

The version of the virus in the Louisiana case is the so-called 'D1.1 genotype.' It has previously popped up in poultry workers in Washington state, who developed mild symptoms after testing positive in October. More recently, however, a teenager in British Columbia was hospitalized after contracting this D1.1 strain of the virus. Canadian health officials were unable to figure out how that person was infected.
Dr. Demetre Daskalakis with the CDC, told reporters on Wednesday that bird blu has a well-established history of leading to severe illness and death. He added: 'Infections without a clear source of exposure do occur, neither these cases nor the cases with known animal or animal products exposure have resulted in human to human transmission.' California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency as the H5N1 bird flu virus moves from the Central valley to Southern California herds. The declaration will allow for a more streamlined approach among state and local agencies to tackle the virus, providing 'flexibility around staffing, contracting, and other rules to support California's evolving response,'' reports the Los Angeles Times, citing a statement from Newsom's office.

'Building on California's testing and monitoring system -- the largest in the nation -- we are committed to further protecting public health, supporting our agriculture industry, and ensuring that Californians have access to accurate, up-to-date information,' said Newsom in a statement. 'While the risk to the public remains low, we will continue to take all necessary steps to prevent the spread of this virus.'

Further reading:
US Government Orders Nationwide Testing of Milk for Bird Flu to Stop the Virus's Spread

Bird Flu Fears Stoke the Race for an mRNA Flu Vaccine

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