A hospitalized patient in Missouri recently contracted bird flu without any known contact with dairy cows or other animals connected to the current outbreak. This marks the 14th case of bird flu in the U.S. since March, with one additional case reported in 2022.
Risk to the General Public
Despite the rising number of bird flu cases, health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have stated that the overall risk to the general public remains low. They have not observed any unusual flu activity in the U.S., including in Missouri, where the latest case occurred.
Details of the Latest Case
The infected person, an adult, was hospitalized on August 22 with underlying health conditions. Initially testing positive for influenza A, CDC officials later confirmed it to be bird flu. The patient received antiviral treatment and has since recovered. However, it remains unclear whether the hospitalization was primarily due to the bird flu infection or the individual’s pre-existing health issues.
Authorities have not disclosed the patient’s identity or location to maintain privacy. Additionally, there have been no reports of close contacts contracting the virus. This case has generated queries about how the person came into contact with the bird flu virus, as all prior cases in the U.S. were linked to individuals working with cows and poultry. While bird flu has been identified in numerous dairy herds across multiple states, it has not been reported in Missouri.
Health officials are continuing their investigation into this unusual case. Notably, this is the first instance where bird flu was detected through routine influenza monitoring rather than targeted measures focused on individuals exposed to infected animals. The ongoing surveillance and analysis will be crucial in understanding the transmission of bird flu and mitigating future outbreaks.
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