Watch previous coverage on bird flu above
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WJW) — The Ohio Department of Health is reporting the state’s first probable human case of bird flu.
According to Ohio health officials, a male Mercer County farm worker became infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) after coming in contact with “deceased commercial poultry.”
There have been 68 confirmed human cases of HPAI across 11 states since the start of 2024. One person in Louisiana has died.
Health officials said there are no known cases of human-to-human transmission.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention considers the risk to the general public to remain low. According to the CDC, “people with close and prolonged, unprotected contact with infected birds are at greater risk.”
All but three of the human HPAI cases “involved exposures related to commercial agriculture and related operations or wild birds,” the Ohio Department of Health said.
Health officials encourage the public to avoid direct contact with wild birds and sick or dead poultry. Anyone who works directly with birds should follow the guidelines here.
“While the risk to Ohioans is low, the best way to prevent bird flu is to avoid unprotected exposures to sick or dead birds or to their environment,” said ODH Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff in a news release. “People should avoid direct contact with poultry or wild birds and take proper precautions, including reaching out for guidance regarding personal protection and safe handling, if you must be around sick or dead birds.”
In Ohio, one dairy herd and several poultry flocks have been infected with bird flu since the outbreak started in 2022, state officials said.
Health officials remind consumers that it is safe to eat properly cooked poultry and pasteurized dairy products.
Ohioans can report sick or dead wild birds to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources at 1-800-WILDLIFE. Sick or dead poultry can be reported to the Ohio Department of Agriculture at 614-728-6220.
