The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Friday that an Oregon resident had tested positive for avian influenza, marking the state’s first human case of bird flu.
The infected individual was linked to a “commercial poultry operation” in Clackamas County, where the virus had been detected in 150,000 birds, the Oregon Health Authority (OHA) said in a statement.
Clackamas County Public Health officer Dr. Sarah Present said the patient experienced mild illness and has fully recovered. The patient’s household contacts also received treatment to prevent further transmission.
“Clackamas County Public Health Division has been closely monitoring people exposed to the animal outbreak, which is how this case was identified,” Present said in the statement.
State health officials said that there has been no evidence of person-to-person transmission, and the risk of avian flu to the general public remains low.
The Oregon Department of Agriculture said it will monitor people exposed to infected animals and has provided personal protective equipment and training to affected farmworkers as safety measures.
“While we cannot prevent every case, we know that we are preventing many,” Dr. Dean Sidelinger, health officer and state epidemiologist at OHA, said in the statement.
This is the latest human case of bird flu in the United States, bringing the total of infected people this year to 52 across seven states as of Nov. 15. The virus has affected 508 dairy herds in 15 states, according to the CDC.
Tagged:
Health & Wellness
