The CDC has issued a warning to state health officials about an anticipated increase in human cases of bird flu due to the rising number of cattle herds testing positive.
During a meeting with state leaders on Friday, the CDC advised them to ensure they have updated operational plans in place for potential increases in H5N1 virus cases among farm workers.
The alert came after a Texas dairy farm employee tested positive for the highly pathogenic influenza, marking the second known case in humans in the U.S.
The first case was reported in a Colorado poultry worker back in 2022, according to the CDC.
While the virus is not currently widespread in humans, officials are worried that it could escalate in prevalence due to the increasing number of cattle testing positive.
The majority of cases of bird flu in cattle are in Texas, with reported incidents also occurring on farms in Kansas, New Mexico, Ohio, Michigan, and Idaho.
“This is the first time this virus has been found in cows and would be the first instance of cow-to-human spread of bird flu,” the CDC said in its public announcement, noting that there has been “no sign of person-to-person spread of this virus at this time.”
The agency emphasized that this is a developing and swiftly changing situation, but reassured that the virus presents a low overall risk to the general public.
CDC Deputy Director Nirav Shah and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who served as the deputy coordinator of the Biden administration’s National Monkeypox Response Team in 2022, spearheaded the meeting with state officials.
A CDC press release that the Daily Mail obtained stated that the agency “recommended that state public health officials… ensure that they have up-to-date operational plans to respond to avian influenza at the state level.”
“For example, the CDC emphasized the importance of having plans in place to quickly test and provide treatment to potentially impacted farm workers following positive results among cattle herds,” officials said.
The sole individual in Texas who has tested positive for the virus is experiencing only eye inflammation as a symptom and is said to be recovering well while in quarantine. They are receiving treatment with oseltamivir, also known as Tamiflu, and there is no indication that they have transmitted the virus to others.
Meanwhile, bird flu has been spreading among chicken farms.
The largest producer of fresh eggs in the U.S. temporarily stopped production at a Texas plant after finding the virus in chickens.
Cal-Maine Foods, Inc., based in Mississippi, reported cases at a facility in Michigan as well.
According to a press release on Tuesday, approximately 1.6 million laying hens and 337,000 pullets at their Parmer County, Texas plant were euthanized due to infection, accounting for 3.6 percent of the total flock.
“The Company continues to work closely with federal, state and local government officials and focused industry groups to mitigate the risk of future outbreaks and effectively manage the response,” the statement, which the Associated Press obtained, said.
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1 Comment
I’m sorry, CDC, but you have absolutely NO credibility after the COVID debacle. Your fear tactics and misinformation are just in time for another election. Coincidence?