New Delhi: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported four new human cases of bird flu on Monday, increasing the total number of cases to eight. All four individuals are employed at the same poultry facility and are farm workers.
The recent cases are part of a worrisome outbreak of the virus among cattle, which has also resulted in human infections. A fifth case is suspected but requires further analysis for confirmation.
According to the CDC, the risk to the American public remains “low.” The infected workers reported symptoms such as conjunctivitis and “flu-like symptoms.”
In the spring, an unusual bird flu epidemic was detected in the United States, with the disease primarily affecting poultry and birds but now also found in cows. The first human infection via a cow was reported on April 1 in Texas, followed by two cases in Michigan and another in Colorado in early July.
Colorado, a western US state, is currently experiencing the spread of the disease among both livestock and poultry. Experts are worried about the increasing number of infected mammals, although human cases remain uncommon. They are concerned that high circulation of the virus could facilitate a mutation that would enable human-to-human transmission.
The CDC reiterated its call for precautionary measures for workers who come into contact with infected cows or poultry.
