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San Francisco, CA – U.S. health officials have confirmed a case of bird flu in a California child, with the strain being similar to those detected in dairy cattle and poultry. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that the child had no known exposure to infected animals, raising concerns about the virus’s potential spread.
The child, who has since recovered after receiving flu antivirals, was found to have a strain of the virus closely related to the H5N1 virus, which has been spreading among livestock. This case does not change the CDC’s assessment of the immediate risk to the general public, which remains low.
California health officials are continuing their investigation into how the child may have contracted the virus. Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, suggested that other animals, such as cats, dogs, or rodents, might be contributing to the spread of the virus.
Experts have expressed concerns that the longer the virus spreads among humans and animals, the more likely it is to mutate and spread easily between humans. So far this year, 58 people in the United States have been confirmed to have bird flu, with the majority being exposed to infected poultry or dairy cows.
The outbreak among dairy cows began in March, and the virus was discovered in a pig for the first time last month. Bird flu infections in people, nearly all among farmworkers, have now been confirmed in seven states. California accounts for the largest share of human bird flu cases in the country, with 32 confirmed infections.
Earlier this month, Canadian officials announced that a teen in British Columbia had been hospitalized in critical condition with what is believed to be bird flu. It’s not clear how the teenager picked up the H5N1 virus, as the patient is not known to have any contact with infected animals.
The CDC continues to monitor the situation closely and recommends avoiding unprotected exposures to sick or dead animals, including wild birds, poultry, and other domesticated animals.
For more information, visit the CDC’s website on bird flu.
