WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - A resident of Missouri who had no immediate known exposure to infected animals was hospitalized in August and confirmed to be the first case of bird flu in 2024.
The patient, who had underlying health conditions, received treatment with antiviral medications and has since recovered, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC further reported that there has been no identified ongoing transmission among close contacts, and no additional infections have been linked to this individual.
This particular case marks the 14th occurrence of human bird flu in the United States this year, and it is the first without a known work-related exposure to infected animals.
It's important to note that although the virus was detected in dairy cows in March, no reported infections have been found in cows in Missouri; however, it has been detected in poultry and wild birds. The CDC emphasized that the current risk to the general public remains low.
The infection was identified through Missouri's routine flu surveillance system, rather than through the focused H5N1 monitoring typically conducted for farm workers. A sample from the patient was sent to the CDC for further testing by the Missouri State Public Health Laboratory.
It's worth mentioning that bird flu was initially detected in China in the 1990s and has since spread globally. While the threat to humans is considered low, health officials continue to closely monitor the disease.
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