The first human case of H5N1 bird flu has been discovered in Fresno County.
The county’s first case came from someone who had contact with infected cattle at a dairy farm in the Central Valley.
The big picture: According to the Fresno County Department of Public Health, the person has reported mild symptoms and is being treated with antiviral medications. The person is also isolating at home.
- H5N1 was first discovered in California in sick dairy cattle in August, and there has been no evidence of human-to-human transmissions of the virus in California.
What they’re saying: “Although there is now one confirmed human case of bird flu in Fresno County, the risk to the general public remains low at this time,” said Dr. Trinidad Solis, Deputy County Health Officer for the FCDPH.
- Solis continued, “It is essential for everyone on dairy and poultry farms to take safety precautions and follow all public health recommendations to reduce the risk of further human cases. Protecting the health of our farmworkers is a top priority for the FCDPH as we continue to address bird flu infections in our region.”
Go deeper: The FCDPH recommends that people who work with animals or materials that are infected or potentially infected use personal protective equipment such as respirators, eye protection and gloves.
- The FCDPH has distributed personal protective equipment to farmworkers, totalling around 60,000 pieces to 15 dairies.
- Pasteurized milk and dairy products remain safe to consume, since pasteurization inactivates the bird flu virus.
- State and federal requirements also ban milk from sick cows from being sold.
