Snow geese take off from a field in Ruthsburg, Maryland, on January 25, 2023. The current strain of avian influenza has been detected in wild birds and poultry, as well as mammals such as cows.
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Hide caption
Show/hide label
Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images
Health officials in Missouri have identified a person who has contracted bird flu despite having no documented contact with animals. This is the first case of the virus in the United States this year that is not linked to work on a farm.
Since the beginning of spring, bird flu has been slowly spreading on farms across the country. So far, 14 cases of the virus have been identified in humans. All patients – with the exception of the patient from Missouri – have been linked to sick dairy cows or poultry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that the Missouri patient was hospitalized and treated with antiviral medications for the flu. The patient has since recovered and been discharged. The agency added that the virus does not appear to have spread to the patient’s close contacts.
In addition to Missouri, human cases have been reported in Texas, Michigan and Colorado. At least 196 dairy herds and 56 commercial and hobbyist poultry flocks nationwide have been infected, according to the CDC.
According to the CDC, there are no known outbreaks of bird flu in cattle in Missouri. However, there have been outbreaks in commercial and hobbyist poultry flocks in Missouri this year. In previous years, bird flu has also been detected in wild birds in the state.
The CDC said its current risk assessment of bird flu to the general population “remains low.” It said there have been “no signs of unusual influenza activity in people, including in Missouri.”
The agency recommends avoiding contact with sick or dead animals – whether wild or domesticated. The CDC also warns against drinking raw milk, adding that pasteurization kills the virus and pasteurized milk is safe.
