On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a warning regarding the potential increased risk to human health from bird flu. This followed an outbreak among dairy cows and two confirmed cases in humans. Despite this, the CDC emphasized that the current risk of bird flu, also known as avian influenza, to people in the U.S. is low.
In late March, federal and state public health officials began investigating an illness affecting primarily older dairy cows in Kansas, New Mexico, and Texas. The cows displayed symptoms such as decreased lactation and low appetite. The first confirmed case was reported in a farm worker in Texas, followed by a second case in a Michigan farm worker with regular exposure to livestock carrying the bird flu virus.
The CDC highlighted that while the currently circulating A (H5N1) viruses do not easily transmit to humans, there is a possibility that they could mutate and become more infectious to people. This could potentially lead to a pandemic. The situation is continuously being monitored for any developments, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
