The case comes amid concerns that a continuing outbreak among US birds could lead to more human infections.

Published On 29 Apr 202229 Apr 2022

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/29/us-reports-first-human-case-of-h5n1-bird-flu

The first known human case of H5N1 bird flu in the United States has been detected in a person in Colorado, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The person tested positive after being involved in the culling of poultry presumed to have had H5N1 bird flu, the CDC said in a statement. The infection comes amid a wider outbreak of the particular strain of bird flu in the US.

The agency said that the case was only the second human infection globally with the specific group of H5 viruses, with the first detected in the United Kingdom.

“This case does not change the human risk assessment for the general public, which CDC considers to be low,” the agency said.

The agency began monitoring people believed to be exposed to the virus in 2021. It has been detected in commercial and back-yard birds in 29 states in the US and in wild birds in 34 states.

The outbreak has resulted in the culling of millions of chickens and turkeys across the US.

Health experts have voiced concern that the continued spread of the virus could lead to mutations that more easily spread to humans.

A previous outbreak of the H5 virus in the US occurred in 2015, but no cases were detected in humans, according to the CDC. Several countries detected outbreaks of H5N1 in poultry last year.

The infected patient reported fatigue for a few days as the only symptom and has since recovered, the CDC said, adding that the person was being isolated and treated with the influenza antiviral drug oseltamivir.

“CDC has tracked the health of more than 2,500 people with exposures to H5N1 virus-infected birds and this is the only case that has been found to date. Other people involved in the culling operation in Colorado have tested negative for H5 virus infection, but they are being retested out of an abundance of caution,” the CDC said.

SOURCE: AL JAZEERA AND NEWS AGENCIES

Sign up for Al Jazeera

Americas Coverage Newsletter

US politics, Canada’s multiculturalism, South America’s geopolitical rise—we bring you the stories that matter.Sign up

By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy

This content is created and paid for by advertisers and does not involve Al Jazeera journalists.

https://www.dianomi.com/smartads.epl?id=8824&num_ads=1&cf=1761.540.AlJazeera&tcString=&can_serve_ads=true&can_cookie=true&can_programmatic=true&can_dmp=true&partner_tcf_status=2.0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2022%2F4%2F29%2Fus-reports-first-human-case-of-h5n1-bird-flu&unitId=dianomi-8824-YmxqnU-WCE_3FvlWJI8-6AAAAA80https://www.dianomi.com/smartads.epl?id=8825&num_ads=1&cf=1761.540.AlJazeera&tcString=&can_serve_ads=true&can_cookie=true&can_programmatic=true&can_dmp=true&partner_tcf_status=2.0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2022%2F4%2F29%2Fus-reports-first-human-case-of-h5n1-bird-flu&unitId=dianomi-8825-YmxqnU-WCE_3FvlWJI8-6AAAAA81https://www.dianomi.com/smartads.epl?id=8826&num_ads=3&start=2&cf=1761.540.AlJazeera&tcString=&can_serve_ads=true&can_cookie=true&can_programmatic=true&can_dmp=true&partner_tcf_status=2.0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.aljazeera.com%2Fnews%2F2022%2F4%2F29%2Fus-reports-first-human-case-of-h5n1-bird-flu&unitId=dianomi-8826-YmxqnU-WCE_3FvlWJI8-6AAAAA82

LISTEN TO THESE PODCASTS

play

From: The Inside Story PodcastMusk buys Twitter. How will the platform change?Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, is set to take control of Twitter as he sealed the deal for $44 billion. So, what will…

play

From: The Inside Story PodcastWhat challenges will Macron face in his second term?Emmanuel Macron’s re-election as President of France seems more a sigh of relief than a grand victory. He defeated far-rig…

play

From: The Inside Story PodcastWhat will be the fallout of India’s rising hate speech?India’s history contains centuries of diversity and coexistence between different groups. But its present times are marked…

China reports first human case of H10N3 bird fluA man, aged 41, in China’s eastern province of Jiangsu was hospitalised on April 28 and diagnosed with H10N3 on May 28.Published On 2 Jun 20212 Jun 2021
India probes its first human death from bird fluEleven-year-old boy’s death highlights new risk for world’s second-most populous nation battling the COVID pandemic.Published On 22 Jul 202122 Jul 2021
Iowa to kill 1.5 million more hens, turkeys because of bird fluThe worst recent bird flu outbreak in the US happened in 2015, when more than 230 farms in 15 states had outbreaks.Published On 29 Mar 202229 Mar 2022