These are the first two human cases in California. Previous cases have been identified in workers in Texas, Colorado and Michigan.
American authorities announced that they had discovered two cases of avian flu in humans in California this Thursday, October 3. Among them, a dairy farming agent who had contact with infected cattle. The patient, whose identity has not been released, suffered only conjunctivitis, and is currently being treated with antiviral drugs while confined at home. The second case has not yet been identified.
Fourteen human cases of avian flu have already been identified in the United States since March, most linked to ongoing outbreaks on poultry and dairy cattle farms. These are the first two human cases in California. Previous cases have been identified in workers in Texas, Colorado and Michigan. Missouri also identified one case in a patient who did not have contact with animals.
$3.3 billion loss
“The risk to the general public remains low, although people in contact with infected animals are at higher risk of contracting bird flu”said the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Fourteen states in the United States have experienced an epidemic of avian flu in recent weeks, which worries the authorities. The sector remains vigilant to avoid a repeat of the 2015 avian flu outbreak, which infected 211 farms in 15 states, from California to Indiana. Nearly 50 million birds were killed or their carcasses destroyed following this episode, and several countries suspended their imports. The ministry put the losses at around $3.3 billion in total.
