A third U.S. bird flu hospitalization has been confirmed, according to Wyoming’s health department. The patient, a resident of Platte County, was hospitalized after experiencing “flu-like symptoms” and having health conditions that make them more vulnerable to illness. They were likely exposed to the H5N1 virus through direct contact with an infected poultry flock at their home.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been monitoring the situation closely, but a spokesperson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. It is unclear how many people in Colorado may have been exposed while traveling there.
This case comes amid an ongoing surge of seasonal influenza, which is at record highs nationwide. The CDC attributes the surge to usual seasonal variants of the virus, not human-to-human spread of a bird flu strain. There have now been 68 human cases of bird flu confirmed by the CDC, with most linked to direct exposure to sick animals.
In other developments, raw pet food recalls and spillover of the D1.1 virus from birds into cows in Arizona have been announced. The Nevada patient was not hospitalized and had mild symptoms, while Ohio’s health department has declined to comment on their case.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bird-flu-case-woman-hospitalized-colorado