The Oregon Health Authority today reported the state’s first human H5 avian flu case, and California Department of Public Health (CDPH) today reported 5 infections in farm workers, lifting its total to 26 since early October.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed all of the cases and now puts the national total since the first of the year at 52.
Oregon patient had earlier exposure to sick poultry
In a statement, the OHA said patient’s illness is linked to an earlier outbreak at a commercial poultry farm in Clackamas County, an event confirmed on October 24 that involved a facility that had 150,000 birds.
County health officials had been closely monitoring people connected to the outbreak, which led to the illness detection. The patient had mild symptoms and has fully recovered. The OHA added that the patient and household contacts received antiviral treatment. No other person-to-person spread has been reported.
California cases include some from Fresno and Madera counties
Two of California’s latest cases appear to include two reported yesterday from Madera County, which is part of the state’s Central Valley—the epicenter of the dairy farm outbreaks. In a statement, Madera County officials said the cases—one confirmed and one presumptive positive—involved people who had contact with sick dairy cows.
Officials said the patients have mild symptoms, are receiving antiviral treatment, and are isolating at home. They also noted that there is no link between the two cases, suggesting that only animal-to-human spread is occurring in the state.
The new cases reported by the CDPH probably include a new illness today reported by Fresno County, its first. In a statement, the Fresno County Department of Public Health said the resident had contact with infected dairy cattle at a farm. The patient has mild symptoms and is receiving antiviral treatment at home.
Though California has reported a spate of recent large outbreaks on poultry farms, the state’s five new cases are linked to dairy farms, according to the CDC’s latest tally.
Virus strikes more California cows, poultry
In animal developments, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) today confirmed 3 more H5N1 outbreaks in California dairy cattle, raising the state’s total 291 and the national total to 508 in 15 states.
Also, APHIS confirmed three more outbreaks on commercial poultry farms in California, involving a broiler facility and a turkey producer in Fresno County and a turkey farm in Merced County.
