The number of hospitalizations due to bird flu in the US has increased to four, with a case reported in Ohio and another in Wyoming. The Ohio patient had been discharged from the hospital after being treated for respiratory symptoms. This marks the fourth American to be hospitalized with the H5N1 virus.
In Wyoming, authorities declined to release details about the patient’s condition due to privacy concerns. However, it is believed that the patient was exposed to infected poultry at their home. The vast majority of human cases are linked to direct exposure to sick animals.
Data from the CDC suggests that this winter’s surge in influenza is being driven by seasonal strains, not a new strain spreading between humans. Despite investigations into several human bird flu cases, no source has been identified for how the patients became infected.
Federal authorities have analyzed virus samples to track worrying mutations, but results are unclear. In other cases, scientists have linked the B3.13 strain to dairy workers and poultry flocks. A new strain called D1.1 is also contributing to a surge in spillovers from wild birds to farms, driving up egg prices nationwide.
The US Department of Agriculture has confirmed that D1.1 has spread at least twice from birds to dairy herds, raising concerns about the potential for further outbreaks.
Source: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/us-bird-flu-hospitalizations-rise-ohio-discloses-case