


The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday announced the third human case of bird flu, contracted by a dairy worker amid the nationwide outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza among cattle.
CDC Principal Deputy Director Nirva Shah told reporters that the dairy worker was infected with the H5N1 virus from a different herd in Michigan than was associated with the second case announced from the state last week.
The infected worker also is reporting upper respiratory symptoms, including a cough. This is different from the other two human cases in dairy workers since March, who reported symptoms of conjunctivitis, or pink eye. Both respiratory and eye-related symptoms are common to H5 influenzas, according to Shah.
Shaw said that the reported infection “does not change the CDC’s overall risk assessment” and that the risk to the general public “remains low.”
“Our top priority now across the response is protecting the health of farm workers,” said Shah.
The CDC is strongly recommending the use of personal protective equipment, or PPE, among farm workers at risk of exposure, and the US Department of Agriculture is offering financial incentives for farms to provide PPE to their workers.
This is a developing story.